Packing Up Dreams
by Waterlily Angel
Summary: "Here, from now on, you'll continue our dreams..." BleachxOne Piece. I guess you can refer this as an Ace tribute... Death after all is just another adventure- in which Ace catches the attention of the Gotei 13.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: PACKING UP DREAMS**

**Info: One Piece x Bleach. **

**Summary: Death is a door to another adventure...**

**Dream I: Warm Up  
**

* * *

"…"

It was dark; he could hardly see a thing. What was he doing here?

"_Oi! Rukia, we have another one here!"_

Whose voice was that? He was sure he didn't recognize that voice… And who's Rukia?

"_I don't think this one's ready yet Ichigo…"_

Was that a female's voice? It was rough… like a male's yet elegant like a female's as well. Is this what the previous voice had said? Rukia? What's or who's Ichigo? A strawberry?

"_What the hell do you mean by that?"_

He wanted to know too; what had the voice's words meant. What were they talking about anyway? Were they talking about him?

More importantly, who was he?

"_Open your eyes."_

And so he did. Though he soon found out that it wasn't much of a good idea, the white light blinded his eyes- he let out a groan, raising his hands to cover his eyes, hoping for some shade from the blinding light. He shut his eyes tightly, before opening them more slowly this time, little by little, getting used to the light. Sitting up, he blinked at the view in front of him. The first thing he noticed were the two figures in front of him; a male and a female- they both looked quite young though, probably only in their teens.

The teenage male was fairly tall, he had a lean-built body added with some muscles with a peachy shade of skin, and he wore what seemed to be some kind of black traditional clothing. On his face, was a fairly long and seemed to be permanent looking scowl on his face along with his brown eyes that were filled with what seemed to be confusion, impatience, boredom and yet at the same time, a slight concern and a hidden fire within them. To add up, he had a spiky hair with an unusual color which is orange; but what was more eye-catching was the large sword he was wielding, resting on his shoulders and held by his hands.

...

Isn't it supposed to be heavy?

He shrugged it off; a man's strength is not judged by his appearance after all...

He then turned his head to the female one, fair and elegant in her own way he had to admit it. She was short and petite, she also wore matching clothes to the male beside her- black clothes. She has a pale skin, large yet serious violet colored eyes filled with concern and concentration. She had a black hair and a strand of hair seemed to be hanging between her eyes, though it doesn't seem to be bothering her at all. She too had a sword, but it was fairly thin like a kantana, and beautifully white colored, opposing to the male's black large one.

They were both the opposite image of each other, one was short and petite, the other was tall and quite muscular- they both reminded him of yin and yang.

He then switched his attention to his surroundings, the earth was hard and rocky, and the wind blew the air and dust around him, though he could hardly feel them. The sun was hidden behind the grey clouds, signaling that it might rain soon. But he had a feeling it won't- the weather was unpredictable after all. The ground was dry and large rocks could be seen around them, with trees around. He did not recognize the place he was at. Where was he?

He then paid attention to his body, bruised and dirty, and there was this odd chain sticking out of his body…

"Who are you?"

Silence.

"Who are you?"

No voice.

"Let's just get this over and done with!" The orange haired teen sighed loudly, swinging his large sword, "I still have chores to do back home!"

He unconsciously crawled back.

"Shut up baka!" She turned to the male behind her, "You're scaring him with your sword! This one's not ready yet!"

"What do you mean he's not ready? His soul is separated permanently from his body right?" The male's voice was getting louder, he noted.

Soul? His body? What were they talking about? His mind couldn't understand a bit of what they were talking about. What he did know is that he didn't like the situation he was in right now. Not one bit! "Who are you two?" He asked. "I'm Rukia, Kuchiki Rukia." The female answered him, "This idiot here i-" "Don't call me an idiot midget!" Ichigo cut her off, "It's Ku-Ro-Sa-Ki I-chi-go! You haven't answered my question yet! Why isn't this guy ready yet?" "His chain is not getting any shorter… he's not ready to depart yet. We can't send him away like this!" Rukia answered.

"I don't even know there's such a thing like this!" Ichigo argued.

"_I don't even know there's such a scum like you!"_

His eyes turned wide, was that directed to him?

Who said that?

He knew it was not the two currently arguing teens in front of him. Their voices do not match this one- this one was fierce, rough, covered with the intent to kill and tainted with the will for revenge. His body was rigid frozen, his head was suddenly aching. Stiffly, he raised his hands to clutch his throbbing head. He clutched it hard and shut his eyes, effectively catching the attention of the two in the middle of an argument people in front of him.

"Damn it Midget! What's happening to him?"

"_Damn it! Get out of here! A son of … does not deserve to live!"_

Son of whom?

"Shut up idiot! I can't think, and don't call me a midget!"

"_Shut up! You don't know anything!"_

Was that his voice?

"Then don't call me an idiot!"

"_Then don't tease my gomu-gomu! Let's go again!"_

What? Who? Whose voice was that? He… wanted to hear that voice a bit more… it seemed so…

Familiar...

"This is not the time baka!"

He heard Rukia's voice this time. She rushed to him and touched his forehead with both of her hands. Her hands were cold, soft yet stiff and… comforting. Feels like a mother's touch… It gave him a bit more time to think, and lessened the pain on his head; he leaned closer to the cold touch; sighing in relief, he loosened his grip on his head.

"Are you all right now?" She asked.

"Seems he's fine now. Now, why isn't he ready yet?"

"Perhaps there's something he has to do first… A tie that he must severe before fully leaving…"

"Well let's find that tie then!" Ichigo declared, "What's your name?"

"I…" He found his voice alright, but, "I don't know…"

He couldn't find his name…

"Great" Ichigo sighed, "Now what?"

"Come on" Rukia decided, "You can stand up right?" He nodded in reply; she slipped her arm underneath his, the other hand reaching for his arm and placing it over her neck. She then helped him up, "All right, then, let's start, Can you try to remember?" She asked, "Do you at least remember your name?"

"I…"

* * *

_**A**nger… "Spawn of a devil!"_

_**C**onfusion… "You promised not to die no matter what… right?"_

_**E**ruption of magma…_

* * *

"I… don't…"

* * *

"_What if Gol D. Rodger had children?"_

"_Then they'd be in for a 'be-heading'!"_

"_Or How about we stick a needle in his body, one for every person in the world who was a grudge on Rodger?"_

"_Make it a 'Stake Burning'! Then all of the people of the world could watch and laugh at the way they look just before they die! You know what they'd all say? 'Serves ya right!' GYAHAHAHAHA!"_

* * *

"I… I…UGH!" He knelt down, the pain had returned.

"!" The female was dragged down with him.

"Rukia!"

* * *

"_Gramps…I…Do you think I really deserve to live?" _

"_You can only find out by living"_

* * *

"_I'm going to become a pirate!"_

"_Hiya! I'm …!"_

'_It's that voice again…' _He thought,_ 'Who are you?'_

"_I'm L…y!"_

'_What?' _He clutched his head harder, his eyes scrunched up in concentration_, 'Say your name! Louder!'_

"_I'm Luffy!"_

His eyes turned wide as saucers. He gasped for air, gulping them as if he had just resurfaced from the deep murky water.

"Luffy…" He murmured.

"Who's Luffy?" Ichigo asked.

"My…"

* * *

"_What? You think I was dead?"_

"_But! A-"_

"_What are you crying for? Don't go killing off people when you feel like it, dummy!"_

"_It's a promise! I'm not going to die no matter what! Do you think I could die and leave a weak little brother like you behind?"_

* * *

His eyes were turning wet "My little brother… my ototuo…"

"Little Brother huh?" Ichigo smiled, "Ah… You must have cared for him a lot then… remembering his name before yours." "He must be your treasure then…" Rukia smiled softly, she then got up. "Ichigo, see what you can do to help him. I'm going to go look around" She watched as the orange haired teen nodded at what she had said before disappearing from view. "So…what does this Luffy look like?" Ichigo asked as he sat down on the ground in front of him, placing his sword down next to him.

"…He wears a straw hat on his head and… has a scar underneath one of his eye and black hair" He chuckled, "He's a reckless kid, and has a bad habit of making others worry about him..."

"Ah, I get what you mean," Ichigo nodded, remembering his own siblings back home, "You have to be there for them all the time and protect them."

"As a big brother, it is a big responsiblity... you can't help but worry about them."

"Yeah, I got my own siblings back at home. Two little sisters..."

"Twins?"

"Pretty much..."

Their conversation was then cut short by the arrival of Rukia, "Ichigo!" She showed them the papers she had found which was held in her hand, "These papers look like those from your world…" "It's a newspaper idiot!" Ichigo got up whilst shaking his head- easily forgetting that Rukia was not quite used to normal human ways, "Give me that!" He snatched it out of her hands and began to read, but before he could actually turn a page, he was bonked by the female, "Don't call me an idiot, idiot!" "You get to call me one! So why can't I?" He accused, turning his attention to her to glare at, before finally focusing on the newspaper. "Seems like this guy is a pirate" Ichigo mumble after several minutes of scanning the paper, "Portgas D. Ace."

"Portgas D. Ace…" The older male whispered to himself.

* * *

"_If it's a boy, his name is Ace... Gol D. Ace…"_

* * *

_**His life flashed before his eyes.**_

* * *

"_Ace! I heard you went crazy in town again!"_

_"Shut up! If I could, I'd kill them all!"_

_-/-  
_

"_I owe you one, thanks"_

_-/-  
_

"_Do your best Ace!"_

"_Just you wait; I'll be famous before you know it!"_

_-/-  
_

"_Get out of here! I'm here to claim the head of Whitebeard!"_

_-/-_

_"Oi, Oi... Slow down... the foods aren't going anywhere Ace. This party is for you after all"_

_"Ah... Thanks Thatch... hehehe...zzz..."_

_"..."_

_"HE FELL ASLEEP?"_

_-/-_

"_It's too late to stop it now; we have already angered the ruler of the seas"_

_-/-_

"_With a clumsy brother like him, I'm always worried about him, you know?"_

_-/-  
_

"_Never listening to a damn thing I say… always doing the stupidest damn things!"_

_"ACE!"  
_

_-/-  
_

_"Stopped by your father in blood; Roger. And couldn't become a king even after his death, Whitebeard is a failure Part of it is Wrong...! Called Pops by a bunch of scums... Acting so warm like a family roaming the seas...Roaming around for decades without becoming a king or anything. In the end he got hurt by his idiotic son which got cheated by some cheat talk! And he is giving his life to protect these people! Ain't that the emptiest life ever?"_

_-/-  
_

"_There is one regret I have... is that I won't be able to see your dream come true... But you... I know you can do it...! You're my little brother!"_

* * *

**"_!"_**

"Hey! Ace! Oi! Answer me!" Rukia was shaking him right now, trying to snap him out of his current situation. "What… just happened?" Ace asked, as he tried to sit up straight. "Must be seeing flashbacks…" Ichigo replied, "Seems you got your memories back" "Yeah…" Ace shook his head to clear his thoughts, "I want to see my brother." Rukia stood up, "We will, after we explain to you about several things."

"I want to see my little brother now!"

"It can wait, for now-" Rukia was yet again cut off by another male. "It can't wait! I have to see him!" Ace burst into flames, "I've left him! I want to see how's he's doing right now without me! The last time he-!" The flames around him grew hotter and larger at the memory of his younger brother. He was shivering and hugging his injured body and then finally devastated by his sudden death. He had to see him!

Ichigo held him down to the ground, his blade on the older man's throat in a vain attempt to cease Fire Fist's struggling.

"Damn it! Calm down! And-And turn off the damn flames!"

"GET THE HELL OFF OF ME! I-!"

Before he can fully get on his feet, he found himself frozen in an ice block way up till his shoulders; leaving the upper part from the neck intact, while the rest was frozen solid. "Calm down" Rukia ordered him, her voice low and commanding, her white blade was glowing, "If you have not noticed it now, you're now a soul without a body; literally meaning, you're dead."

"Dead? Then how the hell can I still move?"

"You're now a soul, souls usually are sent to heaven by shinigamis- Ichigo and I are such" Rukia explained "But we can't send souls away if they still have ties to the world of living" "Ties? What ties?" The half frozen man questioned. "Meaning, there are things that you have to do or want to do first before leaving this world." Ichigo explained as he got up; his clothes had several small burnt marks here and there. "So, like a ghost?" Ace asked. "You can put it that way." Ichigo replied with a shrug, "So, you get it now?"

"Yeah, I got it."

"Once you see him, don't interact with him…" Rukia told him, "If you do, it'll interfere his life and warn people of our existence…" "And if our existence is known here, Hollows will start streaming in here," Ichigo continued, "As if this place hasn't have had enough monsters lurking around…"

Ace ignored the 'Hollows' part spoken by the orange-haired boy and stated he simply wanted to see his younger brother.

"Good, you catch up easily" Rukia praised his logic as she retreated her sword along with the ice, letting them melt by the latter's fire power. "And how are we going to find him by the way?" Ichigo asked, "The news said his whereabouts are unknown" "The same way you found me." Rukia answered, "With a connection that is always there…"

She turned to Ace, "Can you feel your brother's presence?"

"I… how do I do that?"

"Concentrate…hard! You'll know it when you find him; think about him"

"…"

"Well?"

"Amazon…Lily"

"That that's the place we're going."

As the sound of ribbons floated to the sky was heard, the sounds of chains rusting and eaten were ignored, yet was still there.

.Humans are the only beings that can kill with just words.

In Amazon Lily…

"DAAAAAMNNNIITTT! I am weak! I can't protect anything!" Luffy cried, not far from him, stood Jinbei, watching as the poor boy drowned in his anguish and at his loss.

And beside him, though invisible to their eyes; there stood Ace along with Ichigo and Rukia, having arrived only several seconds ago, watched as the scene in front of them unfolded. "So… that's your little brother…" Ichigo shook his head. Ace could feel his eyes water again, "Luffy…" "I can't do that. I can't stand looking at you hurt yourself like that" Jinbei told him, telling him to stop.

"It's my own body! I'll do as I please!".

"Well then, Ace's body was his own as well. Him dying is his own will."

"YOU SHUT UP! Any more word out of you, and I'm gonna kick your ass!"

"If that'll calm you down, you can try. I may be injured as well, but I wouldn't lose to you in a state like that...!"

Ace saw as his little brother moved to attack Jinbei, who avoided it by slamming the boy to the ground, _hard._

"..."

"Seems he needs your help…"

"No… he doesn't" Ace denied, "He doesn't… at…all… not, anymore…" He gripped his right arm, hard as it shook and shivered and bit his lips.

No Interactions.

"Can you not see anything anymore! Your confidence to climb over any walls! Your own strength you never doubted! Numerous enemies whom you don't stand a chance to have broken both of those mercilessly! And then your brother you looked up to as a guide in this sea..! Yes, you may have lost a lot!"

_Luffy..._

"Your eyes are being covered by the massive wall called this World! You cannot see what is in front of you! You are being swallowed in your own guilty conscience!" Jinbei continued, hand still gripping the boy tightly, "It may be painful now Luffy! But you must surpress them for now! Don't just think about what you have lost! What you no longer have, you no longer have! Reaffirm yourself! What do you still have left!" In the end, he let the rubber boy go- he fell down to the ground.

"I still have… my crew!" The boy replied tearfully. "Zoro! Nami! Usopp! Sanji! Chopper! Robin! Franky! Brook! I have... my crewmates! We have a meeting spot... I have to go..."

"I WANT TO SEE THEM!" He yelled out loud, tears streamed down his face.

Jinbei sighed in relief with a small smile, meanwhile, Ace grinned, and tears too, were streaming down his face. Rukia and Ichigo smiled at each other before turning around from the scene and walked- it was a scene they had no right to be in, let alone interrupt.

"Take care of him for me…"

.There's no such thing as you lost it all.

"I guess I'm ready to leave now… right?" Ace asked.

Ichigo and Rukia smiled a knowing smile, a silent agreement was made.

"What do you think?"

* * *

_**PACKING UP DREAMS**_

* * *

**So… uh… how was it? I'm really sorry that it's a bit confusing and might have some errors or misspelling somewhere; I'm still immature, I admit… It's a total mess...  
**

**The idea of this story won't leave me alone! I even got a dream Ace suddenly appearing in front of me! Which is the reason I'm writing this story right now when I should be finishing my other story… Ace's death is just… woah… a rescue arc gone wrong… There'll be another chapter for this one, I plan to make it one shot, but after seeing a certain video tribute to Ace, yeah, I kind thought there's hardly any Luffy Ace brother-ship in here so… let's pray the next chapter will be up soon, ne?**

**If you're confused then leave a review and I'll explain it to you, if you have understood then, just leave a review ok? Thank you for reading!**

* * *

**Takai:** Thank you! Ace is also one of my favourite characters from the One Piece series! I've decided to continue on writing this, since it's quite fun (counting out the hours of research and brain-storming) I do hope you'll stick around to read it till the end.

**BeeBee432:** Thank you! I'm devolping it now! I hope you keep on reading it!**  
**

**xxIchigoCrush:** I'm glad you think this is interesting! My knowledge on Bleach is limited though so if you see any faults do tell. My ideas aren't usually this interesting... *facepalms*

**PDAceLover:** Ah, I got teary eyes too when I reread it (All right, I lied. I was bawling...actually) Thank you for your attempt to understand the story! It really assures me the story is not just read for a simple look on the plot. Thank you for reading this. To be honest, I'm not sure about Ace being a shinigami but... we'll cross that bridge when we come to it...

**Silver Winged King:** It does? I'm glad it did! Though in my eyes it doesn't... Thank you so much! I hope you'll keep on reading it!

**No- I'm not on facebook.** : Thank you for reading and reviewing first in chapter 2.

**Superherofan**: Thank you! I've just realized how messy chapter 1 is... I've fixed it a bit now... thank you for planning to read on! I'll do my best.

**xanimelovx** : Ah... six months wasn't it? The time between my updates... I'm sorry it took so long! I had a hard time chossing where Ace would end up later at... And of course, he'll meet Luffy at some point... thank you for reading! I hope you continue to do so!

**Saara Uchiha**: You did? *hands a tissue* My bad... Thank you for loving the story! Do continue on reading!

**avatoa**: Seriously, can't thank you enough avatoa for pointing my mistakes in chapter 3. Thank you!

**Kuroyukihime2**: Thank you! I'll try my best in updating with a faster pace... though it's probably not going to happen any time sooner... Thank you for reading!

**pdacelover**: Oh it's ok! The story is fun to write and I still want to remember Ace... *sobs* Thank you for the reivews you have given! In my view, Yamamoto is absolutely strict and I guess that's why he is bothered by it. Honestly, I freaked out when I wrote chapter 3 since I realized devil fruit powers weren't supposed to work after death- but what's done is done I suppose...

* * *

Thank you for reading! Onwards!


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: PACKING UP DREAMS**

**Info: One Piece x Bleach.**

**Dream II: Meeting You**

* * *

"**What do you think?"**

Ace looked at them with a small polite smile, "I think I'm ready to leave now…" "So he says he's ready…," Ichigo looked at Rukia with a smirk, "Do your thing, shinigami" "It's not Shinigami," Rukia spoke as she drew out her sword, "Its Kuchiki Rukia" She corrected him, and with that, she plunged her sword in.

Right into Ace's stomach

The said male eyes widened in surprise

As his word fades to black Rukia's words echoed.

"_What do you think?"_

It took him a while to notice that it was the question she had asked before.

-_**A distant melody resounds within us...-**_

He remembered how he had lived his life.

"_I will still continue to pray…"_

He started out rough; he was the son of Gol D Roger, one of the most wanted men for Christ sake! Of course he would start rough- even his mother died. As he grew, curses he received just by being the spawn of that so called father of his- he would pick out fights from those older than him, facing the danger with eyes fueled with anger and hatred and ignoring what his logic told him. He lost the desire to live- in its place was the desire to die, to cease existing in this cruel world. What's the use of him being here? Everyone hated him… right?

He found Sabo- they both hated the world they live in. What was the point of them being here?

Why was he born?

"_Please show this child what love is"_

Then a certain little brat showed up. An annoying, cry baby, stubborn clingy brat he called little brother that goes with the name Luffy. The child refuses to leave him alone even if Ace left the younger one in the deepest darkest forest alone to die and be hunted by who knows what kind of wild beasts thriving in the shadows. Luffy kept on reaching out for him- that stubborn brat…

Luffy was one of a kind.

Even Sabo had to agree with that.

"_Hands sealed with a kiss…"_

Ace beats up everyone who insults him and his father whilst Luffy remains oblivious to the glares he receives from majority of the public every time he takes a stroll. Ace yearned for the presence of his mother and desired family, Luffy was thankful for what he had now and shrug off the thought of the love of his own mother, simply because she was _no longer there_ and therefore _could not_ provide them with some motherly love. Ace soon understood that, knowing it's best for both him and his own mother if he had moved on- to no longer feel pain when he remembered her, but to be filled with warmth. He appreciated what he had _now, _sworn brothers, noisy but caring nanny (insert a Dandan's glare here) and he had his life.

All in all, it was a good life, he thinks; his life was up and downs, good and bad.

Now what was he going to do now that he's dead? He soon became aware of the presence of a hand stroking his black raven hair. A honey dew voice soothes his soul, a distant lullaby to lull him to sleep. He looked up and the freckled smiling face of a woman with reddish blond wavy hair. She kept on stroking him, and kept on singing.

"_And the boy falls into a deep sleep…"_

He dozed off.

"_The flame inside the breathing ashes…"_

…

"_**!"**_

_?_

He snapped his eyes opened. The voice registered his mind and almost immediately, he got up and looked around- his eyes squinted to see the blinding never ending horizon of the colorless space of white surrounding him and the woman beside him. His eyes fell on the distant figure, of a young teen further off.

"_Luffy?"_

He saw him cry.

'_He looks so lonely…'_

He glanced at his mother with furrowed eyebrows. The sweet enchanting melody had long stopped emitting from her. She looked at him with unreadable soft eyes as her thin lips hover between a smile and a frown. He had to choose.

'_I'm sorry…'_

He didn't need to take long. In a fraction, he was already up and running towards the younger male, and hugged him.

"_I'm here… I'm here now…"_ He chanted as he tried to comfort the crying boy, _"I'm here…"_

The boy kept on weeping as Ace gritted his teeth, eyes shutting up tight. Luffy reached a single hand and gripped the upper right arm of the larger male.

"_Your nakama's waiting…"_

He could see his little brother's crew waiting…

He tightened his grip on the younger boy.

"_Live a life without regrets…"_

He opens his eyes.

* * *

"_**Good, you're awake already"**_

"_You stabbed me… and yet I am still here?"_

"_**I suppose what you have seen while you were unconscious was your younger brother?"**_

"…_That is correct… why am I still here? Shouldn't I be off in whatever after life place is called?"_

"_**You are ready to leave but you wish not to leave"**_

"_**And you HAVE to leave, so you must settle some stuff before leaving"**_

"_**Ichigo's right, you must leave. But your soul won't leave till it is finished its business in this world"**_

"_I… want to help him…"_

"_**So you'll need to talk to him"**_

"_That's one way to help him Ichigo-san. I thought I couldn't interact with him, as Rukia-san has stated"_

"_**I am aware of what I have said; they're my own words after all"**_

"_And? How can I meet him and not meet him at the same time?"_

"_**You meet him while he's conscious yet unconscious at the same time of course"**_

"_What?"_

"_**It's a riddle; Rukia doesn't give exception to souls in this place for free ya know…"**_

* * *

Ace stood in front of the sleeping form of his younger brother as he ruffled up his hair and let out a frustrated sigh.

He solved the answer, and so here he was. What was he going to say once he met the boy? He was not much of an articulate person… Should he just rattle off whatever was in his mind later on? Will he break if he met him? One thing is for sure, he's certainly getting a punch for screwing up his younger brother's rescue plan- if there was a plan in the start anyway. Words were running through his head and yet after standing here for so long, he couldn't even form one decent sentence!

He glanced to the moon, then further off to the depths of the night sky; distinctly, figures stood bathed underneath the moonlight- they watched him like the moon and sun. Far away… always watching, never interfering but constantly reminding as of themselves and how time keeps on moving. And as of the moment, Ace knew- he had no more time to waste, his time was running out.

Hesitantly, he raised his hand to reach the younger Ds forehead, concentrating on memories of them both…

And slowly, Portgas D. Ace began to fade.

* * *

"_**If one is unconscious here, they in turn will be conscious in another realm. Almost the same as when you're dead here, you're alive now in a spirit-like world"**_

"_Dreams… You're sleeping here… but wandering awake in dreams at the same time!"_

"_**You catch up easily, it is one of the ways to talk to someone while their unconscious; I'm impressed- unlike a certain someone I know…"**_

"_**Cut the crap Rukia"**_

"_**It's the fact Ichigo"**_

"_**Why you little mid-"**_

"_How do I meet him?"_

"_**What?"**_

"_How do I meet my little brother in his dreams?"_

"_**Simple really, but remember, if you enter someone's dream, you become in the mercy of them. You are in their world, so you live by their rules"**_

"_**Their world takes form by the dreamer's command, so do not be surprised at anything in a dream. They hardly ever make any sense"**_

"_You haven't told me how to enter one's dream…"_

"_**Right… so you…"**_

* * *

He sees white, always the light… blinding him for a moment till he sees a clearer view of his own current surroundings. The winds blew with medium strength inviting his hair in a dance, the sun shone softly as clouds flew by lazily. Ace got up from the seemingly too watery ground only to realize he _was _as a matter of fact, laying on _surface of the water_. He got up to his feet as fast as he could, and stared at the horizon of endless blue… Ace took note of his situation- he was stranded in the middle of the ocean and _standing on crystal clear blue-mirror-like water! How much weird can things possibly get!_

"_**Their world takes form by the dreamer's command, so do not be surprised at anything in a dream. They hardly ever make any sense"**_

Ace slapped his forehead when he remembered Rukia's words. It would make sense if he was in the middle of the ocean though, this was Luffy's dreams and besides, Luffy loved the sea. Now the very question was… where he could find the younger boy. Ace shook his head, deciding it was no use for him to stand around doing absolutely nothing and he started to run. Ace closed his eyes and focused.

"_**Focus on your brother, and don't think about the directions. Just move"**_

And so he did.

Ripples of the water…

Flowing of the wind…

Giggle of a child…

Ace stopped and opened his eyes- surprised that his view had changed. It was still the same cloudy and sunny sky, the same wind and water that he had seen but now, upon the water's surface, stood a gigantic old looking tree further up ahead. Its large roots seem to sink underneath the water and were very easily seen as to how clear the water is. The trunk was large and tall, but he couldn't really tell from the place he viewed the old plant, and what's really noticeable, was its thick evergreen leaves that hid the branches out of the view.

Honestly; Ace mused; it looked like a mushroom, with its leaves acting as the upper umbrella-like part of the fungi and the trunk as the bottom part. He ran to it, as fast as his legs could carry him, the ripples accompanying his hurried steps along with his soon raging breathes. Soon, he came to it, and saw how majestic the tree really was; its hundreds of branches reached out holding the green leaves of all shades, making a comforting color and through the tiny spaces, light seeped in. It was a wonderful view of nature, Ace decided.

_DROP~_

He probably would have stood there a bit longer if he wasn't suddenly hit by a large as an orange round drop of water.

"Huh?" Looking up, he saw the culprit. A young boy with a ridiculously large grin on his face, black hair and a scar underneath his eye, holding round droplets of water as if they were baseballs. "Hah! I've got you!" He laughed, throwing another drop of water to Ace. The later, shook the water off of his face and hair and avoided the upcoming attack- watching the drop hit the water with a small splash, then unified into the body of water acting as the floor. Ace looked up and frowned when another drop or preferably ball of water came splashing onto his face; raising a hand, he wiped the liquid away.

"Hey! Do you mind coming down?" He shouted to the young boy, who shook his head as a 'no' sign. "I need to talk to you!" Ace told him. The lad shook his head once more, "If you really want to, then come on up!" Ace broke into a grin and climbed up with no more than much difficulty, soon reaching the boy in a matter of minutes.

"Huwaah~ you're good at this!"

"Thanks kid, anyway, you-"

"Hup~"

The rest of the words seemed to sink as Ace saw that the child bluntly ignored what had came out of his mouth and had began to climb around. "Hey! Wait up!" He called out, getting a grin as a response along with a beckon to follow from the younger boy. Feeling no other options to choose, he followed him.

"Do you have a moment to talk?"

"Yes"

"So, can you stop for a while to talk to me?"

"No"

"How long do you plan on climbing?"

"Till we get there"

"Till we get to where if I may ask?"

"Somewhere"

Ace's head fell, knowing if he asked, he would only get some laconic replies till they reached to where the boy wanted to take him to. The rest of the short yet seemingly long journey was silent but of the rustling of leaves parting to make way for the two to climb. Eventually, the ride was halted when the child jumped down from a branch to another one that had formed into some kind of chair. He gave a gesture to Ace and pointed to a nearby branch which was quite alike to the one he was sitting on. Ace nodded, and climbed to the pointed place, and took the seat.

The child then sat and pulled several long twigs, moving aside several leaves on his right side as if they were curtains. It showed the view of the world inside there, where waters were floors, skies drew lazily along with the distant synchronizing sounds of water and wind.

"Now, talk"

And that Ace did.

"You're Luffy… aren't you?"

"You mean the Luffy that has lost his brother?"

Ace felt guilty, "Yeah," He gulped, "That Luffy" "Nope" The little boy said, "The Luffy you're looking for is below~" He swung his tiny legs to and fro. "He's… underneath us?" Ace looked down; all he could see was branches tangled stiffly here and there. That boy couldn't possibly mean Luffy was under the tree! "Yep, he's under the tree"

"..."

"You want to meet him?"

"Yeah, I do. Can you take me to him?" Ace asked. "Sure!" Radiating sunshine from his childish face, that little boy started climbing down the place he had been sitting. "Wait!" Ace said to him, "If you're not Luffy- Who are you?"

The silence anwsered him.

-_**You'll find me where it's quiet, just listen-**_

He was led back down to the water ground.

"We're back where we started…" Ace commented. The younger Luffy agreed with him, "Yup- now wait here!" "What?" Ace asked, and he expected an answer. Only to find that the younger Luffy had taken a deep breath and shut his eyes tight- then he slipped down into the water. Ace knelt down instantly, pounding his hands on the surface of the water, trying to call out to the boy. But the water was like a strong impenetrable glass. He could only wait.

Ace held his breath in anticipation, though he figured he won't need them since he was technically dead. Underwater, balls of light began to form as if they were fireflies, illuminating the dark parts of the water. Then he saw the little boy being lifted up. He rose up to the surface, jumping out of the water, and landed on the surface as if it was a floor once more. "Good Luck aniki!" He chirped before his body began to change and glow.

Ace took a step back- when the glowing had stopped, there before him stood Luffy, all in his teen age and the same as he last saw him. "Ace…" He breathed out and tackled the said man into a hug. Both of them tumbled back and landed on the water that had now turned soft and rubbery like jello. "Luffy!" Ace grinned and laughed. "What are you doing here?" Luffy asked. "Came to see ya, why else would I be here?" Ace scoffed lightly. "No," Luffy shook his head, "I meant what are you doing here… aren't you…"

"?"

"dead?"

"Long story," Ace hugged him, breathing in the air, "But I... guess I'm pretty much dead..."

"Luffy?"

"Liar"

"I'm not lying, Luffy…" Ace smiled sadly, "I'm dead"

"But you're here!"

"I am… but that doesn't mean I'm alive you know…"

"This is a dream! This isn't real!"

"Luffy!"

The said boy-no, teen pushed him-self off of his brother and stood up; Ace stood up as well.

"I. Am. Dead..."

Only the faint rippling of the water and ruffling of leaves was heard then.

**_SMACK!_**

"Now that's plain mean" Ace smiled, rubbing the sore spot on his shouler.

Luffy's hands made contact with Ace's broad chest, hitting them soberly as his eyes turned red, "Why did you die? Why did you protect me?" "I had to. I'm your big brother! You think I'm just going to stand by and watch you die?" "Why can't I save you?" Luffy asked quietly, "For once… let me save you" His head dropped. "You already did" Ace grinned, "In your own kind of way…" He ruffled up the short patch of hair on his little brother. The later did not lift up his head, instead leaning into the elder, letting his head rest on the broad chest.

"…ugh…"

"Luffy? You're not crying are you?"

"...Shut up…"

"You're going to make me cry as well if you don't stop ya know…"

"…"

"Heh, still a cry baby I see… always needing Big Brother to cheer you up"

"ACE!"

-_**Till you think it's okay to talk, till you feel like you want to talk- then talk. Till then, I'll wait-**_

"Ace…Did you regret dying?"

"Of course not you idiot. Was my 'Farewell Speech' not good enough? You were right beside me weren't you?"

"Well with all those tears you were shedding... it was pretty-"

"Don't push it Luffy"

"GAH! ACE! STOP TICKLING ME!"

"Heh, silly little brother. I'll say it again all right?"

"Huh?"

"I've been loved, I've had adventures, I had fun. I have a family and an idiot little brother like you right? I have no regrets"

"..."

"Live a life without regrets Luffy"

-_**Memento Mori-**_

"We'll always be brothers… right?"

"Yeah, always"

"Thanks… Aniki"

They both stood up. Unknowingly, images of Luffy's crew appeared way back behind their captain as their surroundings fade to white. Ace smiled at them and turned his brother around to let him notice to small waving crowd.

"Go on… Get going you bastard"

"Fufufufufu…"

He reluctantly pushed the younger male towards his waiting crew.

"_I really don't want to leave you…"_

Luffy waved a goodbye, before running towards his destination, tears glistening underneath the unknown light.

"_But I'll let you go… just like that day…"_

Ace sighed in relief.

"_He'll be okay…"_

Ace smiled sadly, rubbing his heated eyes.

"_We'll meet again someday…"_

He faded once more.

_**-You'll be all right won't you? I pray to God you will be-**_

"_**Are you ready now?"**_

"_Yes_"

"_**No hesitations?"**_

"_None at all_"

_Tap!_

Through the doors he went.

* * *

"**Say 'Hi' to Sabo for me Ace"**

"_Will do, Lu"_

* * *

"I would have thought that it was divided to hell and heaven…" Ace stared at the place known as Soul Society, "But it seems that it's much more complicated than that…" "I know…" Ichigo heaved, "Trust me, it would best if you ask someone else later on, or least when you go to school" "There's a school here?" Ace asked. "Technically a place to train people or souls into shinigamis… Seeing your spiritual power I would dare say they would accept you in" Rukia joined the small chat. "I'm not planning to go there before I have a look of my surroundings" Ace chuckled. "Suit your-self then" Rukia shrugged, walking away, "Well, come along now" She turned to him,

"We'll be late for the ferry"

-**I call your name**-

The sea was too blue to be real, and so was the sky, piercingly mysterious. "Your world has some creatures that require a large body of water to live in so we had to provide the sea as well as land for those who live on land" Rukia explained. Ichigo yawned, "Anyway, there aren't any more hollows or souls to take care of after this right?" "None than I'm aware of… unless Soul Society gives us further orders" Rukia replied. As if on cue, the sounds of a phone's ringtone vibrated. She took and flipped the device open, "And now, there is…" She muttered.

"We'll be staying up late again it seems…"

"Staying up late again? Dang it Rukia, why can't they ask someone else to do the job…" "Quit your yapping! It's your job!" She snapped. "Easy for you to say… You're used to the whole staying up late! I'm not! I still have school to think about!" Ichigo grumbled, "My time is being taken up all the time! I barely have any moment to sleep!" She scolded him, "It'll be your fault if you can't balance your time! Besides, since when have you cared about school anyway?"

Ace sweat dropped as the two engaged them-selves in a glaring contest.

It wasn't till the signal for arrival till they stopped.

* * *

The harbor was filled with a few hopeful people wishing for their loved ones they knew that died along with them to be found. There, a familiar young boy stood, absently twirling a metal pole, his large top hat covering his face. Ace had a good idea who the child was; he turned to the two Shinigamis. "I suppose this is where we leave you" Rukia told him, "You're going to have to find your own way from here" "I'll manage" Ace assured them, "Thank you for helping me this much" He bowed to them slightly "See you around then!" Ichigo waved. Ace bid them goodbyes, watching them disappear into thin air before turning to the young kid. "Sabo!" He called out.

The boy with the name looked up, face lighting up instantly.

"You're here! They're all waiting!" Sabo cried out, he pulled on Ace's hand and lead the way. Passing houses and souls of people- they came to their destination; traditional Japanese like house, climbing up the stone stairs and walking into the _karamon (A gatehouse) _They walked into the outer courtyard and was greeted by quite a crowd of familiar faces.

Ace could hardly believe his eyes, his once presumed dead _nakamas_ were all there. Waiting with grins and smiles on their face; Ace laughed. He stopped short when his gaze landed on a certain woman. She wore a white gown down to her legs; her long red-blonde wavy hair flowed down her back. Freckles on her puffed cheeks and white pearl teeth peeking out of her smiling lips; her eyes twinkled and sparkled with delight. She reached out towards him, caressing his face with a smile. Not so surprisingly, behind her, two large figures stood side by side.

"_Everything's alright now…"_

His mother stood on her tiptoes and patted her son.

* * *

'_I'm content with my life. Meeting Luffy, Sabo, Grandpa and Dandan, adopted by Oyaji- Whitebeard, being a pirate, being here with you all and then all of your attempts to save me... Thank you, Thank you for loving me, Thank you for having me, Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Good bye.'_

* * *

**The reason due to Ace's breakdown in the previous chapter is experience, if he had to endure flashbacks and see them all at once, his head should hurt and piled up emotions due to betrayal from Blackbeard, Oars Junior determination along with the rest of the pirates to set him free probably will be a bit too much for him. Least, that's what my mind thinks…**

**Till we (hopefully) next meet again. Happy New Year!**

**-First pasted- Late New Years**

**-Re-Edited- 1st of July 2011  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Firstly, I want to thank avatoa for telling me about my mistakes in this chapter. It was very embarrassing but I'm glad that the readers are paying attention, instead of just browsing through for a look on the plot. Thank you so much avatoa! You have no idea how grateful I am! My mistakes were: Rouge's name (Ace's mother) was mistyped as Rogue, Zaraki Kenpachi mistaking chakra for reiatsu and Kurotsuchi Mayuri is the 11th division instead of the 12th division. I've fixed them, though I'm sure there are still mistakes somewhere...**

**If you find such mistakes please don't hesitate to review or PM-me, your idea and suggestion along with critics are most welcome.**

* * *

**Title: PACKING UP DREAMS**

**Info: One Piece x Bleach**

**Dream 3: Ripples of flames**

* * *

**-**_Ashes to Ashes-_

Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto stared at the report with a disturbed expression and clenched fists. The report consisted pages carrying a soul's profile when he was alive, right from the day he was born to his death. His hands and eyes were getting tired of scanning the report from the front to the back, and then repeating the process over and over again. He even was starting to remember its contents but alas, he was yet to be satisfied. He kept his gaze on them, going from page to page. When done, he turned to the front page with every intention to scan the report once more.

The front page carries the name.

Portgas D. Ace

With a circle around the initial "D"

**-**_Don't force it, just let it flow-_

The news of Sosuke Aizen's defeat spread quickly through out the spiritual worlds, repairs and helps were soon sent here and there- back and forth among worlds. As time progressively though very slowly starts to move on and things seem to fall into place, people can relax a bit again. And here in this world where Ace currently resides; which he humorously refers to as Davy Jones Locker was starting to laugh.

In a short while, he had started to live by comfortably, knowing his family more and more. He now knows a few facts (and confirmed some) from his parents he hardly knew- like Gol. D Roger (He childishly refused to call him as his father) had carried a terminal illness before he died, his mother had indeed carried him in her belly for longer than due date which later led to her death (this she had no regrets for), and that his mother on the contrary to her gentle looks can be quite strict. It was clear enough for him to _not _get on her bad side. Though with or without the threat he wouldn't try to break her heart, he loved and respected her far too much to do so. She had done so much for him and he'd be damned if he ain't a good enough son for her.

His childhood friend Sabo who took the shape of a small kid (Sabo interjected that he was an adolescence already) was often bullied in a playful manner, such as not allowed drinking sakes at parties by the elders. That doesn't mean he doesn't drink at all though, during his long stay here he soon got adapted and learnt well on how to sneak up a drink or two and get away with it.

Along with that, he now made sure to keep cards away from his old man (Whitebeard) the man was an expert in playing cards! He surprisingly found himself learning swordplay from Gol. D Roger; only because the loser should do everything the winner says (which in his opinion seems just plain childish but he really was just sulking). He wondered if it was all a tactic to get him closer to the former Pirate King, seeing they did have a strained relationship.

Respect him he did but call him a father?

It was foreign to his tongue.

Another fact he knew now was his _Mera_ _Mera_ _no_ _mi_ powers which stayed with him even after death (along with the weakness- a pity really, he was hoping to finally get a good swim in the sea) and somehow only selected people carried their devil fruit powers till death. Least, that's what his mother told him, but that last time he looked, it seemed he was the only one who had their devil fruit powers still on them even in the afterlife. Having his powers with him doesn't change the fact he had much less fights than when he was alive though. Just because he had the powers doesn't mean he had to use them. The necklace supporting one single sea stone slid down to the side of his neck, functioning as a seal to keep his powers. It was small enough to do its job but not enough to drain him from all of his energy.

And of course, crimes seemed to be something that was inevitable everywhere. Although the criminal rate was much lower than in the living world, daily crimes still happen everywhere. This is a very good exercise for our Logia. He wondered where all the dead souls of the criminals went to since he hadn't seen much of them. His mother replied they were in the area of a Noble so thus the less numbers of crimes. When he asked where the place with no Nobles was she simply shook her head. Then he asked what Nobles were on their area, she smiled and said no more no matter how much he pestered her.

"_**Technically a place to train people or souls into shinigamis... seeing your spiritual powers I would dare say they'll let you in"**_

"_I'm not planning to go there until I have a look at my new home"_

With the wind blowing in his hair while he started to doze off into a nap, the shinigami's past comment on him being one of them was long forgotten.

He knew at the back of his mind, he had no intention of being a shinigami.

-_ I regret nothing in my life-_

Rouge was smiling; she softly placed the newly baked cake on the wide kitchen table, humming to herself. It was a large Ace cake, pilling up with layers in all sizes. But mostly, they were all vanilla flavoured. It was the best she could find. Food was scarce here since hunger was not a problem to souls, they _don't _get hungry after all- however, her all grown up child seemed to be immune to such as his stomach demands foods on daily basis (really, the sound of his tummy rumbling was loud!). This lead to the also daily use of the kitchen and people volunteering to help increasing

She didn't mind that her son felt hunger, it amused her that he was like Roger; both used to having endless pit of stomach.

But she was worried.

They did go hungry but it was when they were _alive._

And feeling hunger could only mean one thing.

"_Everything's all right now…"_

"_M...mom?"_

"_Ace..."_

_She hugged him tightly, inhaling his scent. Her face hurt from width of her smile but she couldn't bring herself to care. Her son was here! He was here, in her arms and all grown up! She never felt this much happiness. It meant that he had lived and by the looks of it, he had been a pirate. Her efforts on that day had not gone asunder. His hair was soft and black a bit curled from her own genes, soft tanned skin and hard muscles. And he was tall! She pushed herself off of him and stepped back, just to look at him better._

"_My, you've grown! Tell me, how's your adventure in life? And how did you get here so fast?"_

"_I found him in the docks with some shinigamis" Sabo spoke up, "By looks of it, they brought him here"_

"_Shinigami?"_

Shinigamis perform their ritual on them, and then they were on their own. No soul was sent off by the shinigamis to their families, least if luck was not on their side. They'll just randomly pop out in Rokungai districts or in their case, the districts at their large island like home. A konso was performed, and then that was the end of the business between shinigamis and pluses (souls).

"_Why would they personally escort him here?"_

"This is bad! Shinigamis are here!"

She drew a breath sharply.

They never...

-_To give freedom to your child is to trust them to stand_-

"Sasakibe-fukutaichou" Gol D. Rodger greeted. The man clad in dark black hakama nodded, "I'm seeking for a young man with the name Portgas D. Ace, and the reports I have received says that he is here" "What's so important that you need to see him?" He asked gruffly, eyes narrowing at the figure before him, "For you to even come personally to here?"

"What has he done to be graced upon by your high presence Sasakibe-fukotaichou?"

Both men turned their gaze to the source of the voice, a shadow underneath the shade of the wall, coming into light. Sounds of slow steps seemed to resonate off the walls and ceilings, the rustle of dress accompanying in a soft tune. Her honey-brown eyes stared intensely to the shinigami, her breath even and calm. Rogue's light faded peach coloured dress reaching down elegantly to her feet moved and twirled slightly, a hibiscus decorated its bottom line. She repeated her question- though in a less... mocking way for the lack of the proper word, "What has he done for you to be here...1st Division Lieutenant Chōjirō Sasakibe?"

"Yamamoto-genryūsai has requested his presence in Soul Society"

The couple turned their heads to each other, nodding in an agreement.

"And if we refuse?"

"We are allowed to take him by force"

-_There's neither good nor bad; it's how you see it-_

"Ace!"

"Oh Sabo! What's up?"

The younger boy growled and successfully managed to hit his adopted brother on the head with a large pole out of nowhere, "Don't 'What's up' me you bone-head! I swear you're much more trouble than you're worth it!" "What did I do now to deserve that?" He groaned at the pain, kneeling down till eye-height with him. "You tell me!" Sabo grunted, "We have to get out of here as fast as we can!" "What? Why? Someone's in danger or something?"

"Somewhat... Hurry up Ace! Or w-"

They barely managed to take two steps till black clothed men appeared around them.

"Great"

"I still don't know what's going on"

"Ace"

"What?"

"Shut up and fight!"

Sabo growled and leapt, dodging a nice kidō attack from one of the unknown figures. This action was followed poorly by Ace, who ended up stumbling and falling into the ground. Getting up, he placed a nicely painful bruise on the face of the enemy by his fist.

"Hah!"

A firm movement of a pole brought down yet another of the men ambushing the two brothers. Sabo let out a grin of victory project itself on his face for less than a second before twisting his pole in his hand and swinging it just millimetres above the ground, in the process, sweeping more enemies off of their feet. He jumped up, and brought his weapon down on their backs; satisfied with the sound of breaking he heard later when contact was made between their skin and his cold steel stick. Jumping back, he avoided a swift thrust of a blade, then bowing low while running towards his attacker, pushing his pole to poke at the abdomen- hard. Then he went to the side, twisting his pole again before swinging it to the man's back, hearing that familiar crack of the bones once more. He kicked the man's leg, using it as a leverage and pushed himself to jump hurling into another man behind Ace, his head bashing with the sides; he gripped the black clothing tightly, pushing himself upwards then hit the man on the head- made a nice size boo-boo too!

He jumped down to land.

Ace jumped high backwards over Sabo, who knelt down in response and charged forward, steel clashing with blades with seemingly odd miracle letting the pole stay in one piece. Ace on the other hand was on his own once more and was moving backwards, avoiding swings of the blades, and then when he found a moment, he jumped up, spun in the air for no reason at all and landed a blowing kick to the poor victim who dared to attack him. He knelt down and spun his left leg, doing like some sort of a break-dance move, which managed to land some nice blows and slip opponents off of their feet. He punched a guy in the jaw, before turning around to punch another one and by pure instinct bent down to avoid a swinging hit. He staggered back then went below the arm of his attacker, straightened himself up quickly then grabbed the back of the swinger's head and slammed it into the ground. That made a wonderful crater.

As more attacks were given, a large portion was focused on the logia, which in turn caused Sabo to fight even closer by his side, slipping from places (due to his small frame) to help him block attacks whilst he was busy dealing his own large blows.

"You're pretty good fighting Sabo"

"And you have greatly improved brother"

"I still think I should be the eldest"

"Damn it! Just because you are bigger now..."

"Heh, I expected you to grow"

"I am! It's just that time for aging moves too slow here!"

"Right..."

A sound of grunting behind both of them took their attention, and they turned to face two more enemies. Before they managed to hit them, said two enemies had already fallen with a smirking Thatch that stood behind them.

"Seems I was a bit late wasn't I?"

Ace could only nod with the similar expression to his old comrade.

"Anyway, we have to return!"

"Why? What's wrong?"

"It's your mother! The maids said that it looks like she's been caught!"

"**What?**"

-_Things cannot be long hidden; the sun, the moon, and the truth_-

"Now you're resorting too much cowardly methods Sasakibe-fukutaichou, I expected more from you" Rouge said, her eyes fixed on the road leading up to their home, "But it seems that I was mistaken" "If the 1st division is this then what of the rest of the lower division?" Roger bellowed with a trade mark smile on his face. "Gotei 13 wishes to have no relation to your likes of the world" Sasakibe hissed, "It is not in my place to say against what our Captain Commander wishes" "Oh?" Rouge raised her right eyebrow, "Is it because of the devil fruits that exists in our world? Because my son just so happens to still have his powers that his fruit gave him?" Sasakibe sighed, "I do not understand either why your son has been called upon, I was not given any information other than the basics which is the existence of his powers and I do not support such ways of capturing a soul if you understand what I mean"

"I am glad to hear that" Rouge smiled, "I am glad to hear you do not entirely approve of this"

"I thank you-"

"I do not however, approve of my son meeting your captain. He is to return _**alive**_ or _else_. Wounded is something I can tolerate but I cannot- will not ignore death"

Sasakibe knew that the woman did not stand a chance against the captain commander, but the firm tone of her voice was enough to convince him that she indeed was. And that what she said was real.

He wasn't willing to find out what the '_or else_' meant.

"MOTHER!"

"Ace..." If she wasn't keeping her pride she would have face-palmed herself, "Of course he would come; what was I thinking? He is your son after all. Reckless as always" She sneaked a glare at the still grinning man, Roger. "A spirit of a 'D', never backing down" He shrugged.

"Portgas D. Ace"

"What's going on here?"

Sasakibe shook his head, "Nothing, we only require your presence in Soul Society which is why we are here. We mean no absolute harm"

"Soul... Society?"

-_Dilly dally Silly sally_-

"Why in the world did you agree?" Sabo asked, "Haven't you heard of the Captain Commander of the Gotei 13? They say he's a real dangerous man!"

They were all gathered in the dining room, simply waiting for time to pass by. With the events going by with Rogue (And Roger) who was actually not captured yet annoyed when she found men were sent after her son, who agreed to respond to the invitation extended to him. Which led him to getting ready to leave for Soul Society, and now he had just finished getting dressed.

"It's rude to decline an invitation you know" Ace grinned, drying up his wet hair "Besides, I want to see what he wants" "He should have came here himself" Whitebeard snorted, holding up his barrel of rum, "High and mighty asking someone else to take you to see him" "Yamamoto-genryūsai is the leader of Gotei 13, he is a very important man and also a powerful one" Rouge commented, "It would not be wise to cross blades with him, do remember that Ace" "Don't worry mom," Ace nodded, "I'll be fine" "If you can, would you avoid a fight with him, my son?" Rouge asked him.

"I'll try"

They both know it's a no.

-_I'm not afraid of man, I'm afraid of their minds_-

Roger glanced up from the floor at the sound of low footsteps entering the room from the dining room, his gaze met his son. Ace passed the room without a word. He walked towards the door, and was about to slide it open when a sudden sound from the other man in the room halted his moves.

"Shigekuni Yamamoto-genryūsai is the leader of the 1st division in the Gotei 13- a group consisting of 13 divisions each with their own speciality." The first pirate king did not turn to face him, "You shouldn't worry about his zanpakūtou or the rumoured heavy reiatsu; just worry about his punches, popping out of nowhere to attack you and his kīdo attacks." "I'm not going to fight him" Ace murmured, remembering what he said to his mother. "You will," Even without seeing, Ace knew that the man was smiling, "You will, no matter who starts it- you do not back down from a fight"

"How do you know about him?" His tone was rough, "His zanpakūtou and reiatsu?"

"Come back alive then ask me," Roger stood up and left, "Ace"

Ace clenched his fists, rushed out to cool his head.

-_Get mad then get over it_-

"_I'll try"_

"_Ace? Come here"_

_He slowly made his way to her, for some reason his guts felt guilty as if he was a small child caught red-handed with a cookie jar. Rouge placed her hand on his cheek, breathing in the air. Her hand moved to the back of his neck and took hold of the necklace she had given him. Her other hand rose up, and with both of them she released the chain holding the accessory united and hanging on his neck. "Mom?" "Just in case," She told him, "I'll take hold of this, so when you return, do remember to take it from me alright?" She gave a tiny smile, her message was clear._

_Just return home alive_

Ace stayed silent through the journey.

"Come on"

He nodded to the Shinigami before following him, his lips turning upwards for no apparent reason.

He just felt like smiling.

-_Smile in the face of adversity; it irritates it_-

"So, you are Portgas D. Ace?"

"Yes," He bowed, "May I ask w-"

"Enough of the talk boy," The Captain Commander stood, "Come, there's somewhere we must go"

Ace blinked stupidly.

"Well?"

"?"

"Stop wasting my time child, are you planning to stand there all day?"

He moved his feet stiffly, following the man.

-_Surprises comes in all shapes and sizes and always unknown_-

They had walked on and on till they reached a dark cave. Ace had made absolutely no comment on where they were going- well, he had but all was shot down by a glare. By the fourth try he had given up and settled for the uncomfortable silence stretching between them. Perhaps it was best if he kept his thoughts to himself, to respect the old man of course but should he find something funny Ace knew he won't hesitate to fight. The ground was rock hard and it was dark inside that underground cave, even so they kept on walking and walking. Lower and deeper, twisting and turning, passing boulders and rocks, jumping down from high lands to lower ones they went.

It wasn't long before they finally stopped.

It looked more like a humongous wide hall with soaring high ceiling; similar to a place in our world where you and I call it the 'Sarawak Chamber' though is more than thrice its size. You can look it up later, but for now...

"We shall start here"

"Start fro-"

Ace cursed underneath his breath as he was just barely managed to dodge a direct hit with the much older man's fist, only the force of reiatsu and wind pushing him stumbling far back. He made an attempt to stand, though with much difficulty- while the hit didn't managed to hit him, the force itself was enough to wound him severely. He heaved slightly, finding it a bit suffocating as the powerful wave of the captain's reiatsu engulfed him (it was either that or the fact his ribs must have broken and hit his lungs- damn! Some warnings would have been nice!). He had heard of the man's strength but never did he expect this much level of power! He could practically feel it in the air, rolling off of his opponent leisurely. While heavy and powerful the reiatsu was emitting from this man, Ace however felt something- something familiar to him as if he was eating or even breathing, like it was a part of him.

His body lit up in flames; mentally reminding himself should he get out of this alive, he would apologize to his mother later.

She did know that he _never _backed down from a fight.

Yamamoto did none all but raise an eyebrow at the young man.

"_Banshō issai kaijin to nase, Ryūjin Jakka_"

-_-Hardship gives maturity, but thinking can do so too! So stop thinking too much, you'll get old_-

Retsu Unohana was at peace; there wasn't much to do as the paperwork was done and not much number of wounded was coming in. Things were finally falling into their place now. And here she was happily drinking with Isane. Sitting there on the porch of the house, just watching nature doing wonders to amaze them, the coolness of the wind blowing them, the warmth of the air even though the sun was shrouded in the skies and the soft sounds of the water running down the small hand-made stone's miniature version of a waterfall. The soft swirling fragrance of the Jasmine flower filled her nostrils, lulling her to a state of peacefulness. Not a single thi-

_Yamamoto-genryūsai's?_

A wave of a certain someone's reiatsu just had to bother the silence and calamity she was having. Of course something just had to-

"Ta-Taichōu?"

She looked across the small table, her vice-captain supporting the same horrified expression on her face, though the latter seemed worse.

"Isane, I'm going out"

"Uh... Unohana-taichou-"

"No, I will be going alone"

-/-/-/-/-

Jūshīro Ukitake laughed, picking up another chess piece from the chess board. Shunshui Kyōraku let out a sigh, placing his hands on his frowning face, "Ne... Shiro-chan, how is it that you keep winning these kinds of games?" Before his opponent had a chance to reply, he snatched out a bottle of sake earning a disapproving glare from his lieutenant sitting not too far away from him. "Ah... the same would be how you take sake out randomly Shunshui-san" "Ah..." The flamboyant captain smiled lazily, "Lil' trick I have learnt from a good drinker"

"Taichōu! Please stop drinking at daylight hours!" Nanao huffed, straightening her spectacles, "What if some emergency just pops out?"

"But Nanao-chan~" He whined, opening his mouth once more to speak.

The words never came out.

"Oh?"

"This is-!"

The entire colours had drained themselves from the face of the 8th division lieutenant.

_She frowned at her captain who was readying himself to fight. This was ridiculous! The fight wouldn't end well, she noted, turning to see the enemy out of habit._

_She let out a gasp when she caught his eyes._

_Though they were in a very open area, she felt her surroundings were far too tight for her liking. Her heart was beating faster than the wind and it hurts a whole lot. In addition, her throat suddenly felt like it was being painfully squeezed and pressed upon. It was suffocating! She couldn't breathe, her lungs begged for air that she couldn't let in. Her whole body was shaking and shivering, quivering in fear. Yes, fear- just by catching his eye she already felt weak like a small mere insect in a presence of a much larger monstrous flames of hell itself. And yet, the elder had lifted neither a finger nor a blade yet._

_"Listen well! Be gone from here! I have neither time nor the patience to teach a mere infant like you how to breathe."_

A shiver ran down her spine.

_The poor soul fighting against him..._

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Hitsugaya Toshīro was grumbling. He secretly and childishly glared at the many stack of paperwork that was supposed to be filled by both him and his lieutenant who had gone missing..._again. _He twitched, tightening his grip at the writing utensil he was holding, wondering how in the world did he put up with the busty woman's antics that had gone on for who knows how long. Putting away the finished paper he had been working on previously, he sighed; that was one stack of paper done, more to go. He took the sheets of paper and started to work on it, the sounds of writing echoing in the empty room calming him almost instantly.

That was until a force of reiatsu washed over him and toppled the neat stack of paperwork he had worked hard to do.

If the reiatsu wasn't this familiar one he would have yelled.

But at the current moment, it was unnecessary, he told himself.

Scowling, he rushed out.

"Matsumoto, take care of the paper work"

"Should I bring the squad Taichou?

"No"

-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-

Kuchiki Byakuya was not a man who shows his emotions easily nor was he a man filled with patience with the size of the moon. And because of those two facts he wondered why in the world was he standing here in front of the 12th division captain half-listening to his long line of complains on the damage that had been caused by his lieutenant. The keyword is his lieutenant; the damage that was cause by his _lieutenant. _Shouldn't Abarai be in his place instead of him? How come the aftermaths of his faults goes to him, just because he's his captain? Byakuya suppressed a growl; he decided without much consideration that he was going to murder the man- regardless of what his sister says. Hiding behind Rukia's protective back won't work against him anymore. He would make sure of it.

In fact he was going to track that man down right after he had this one-sided conversation with the scientist over and done with.

_**!**_

Who in the world is stupid enough to fight their Captain Commander?

"Oooh?"

Byakuya frowned at the tone of the hum; crazy scientist, he silently cursed in his head.

Scratch that previous idea, he's going to quench his curiosity first.

-_And down Alice fell into that rabbit hole_-

"We do not concern ourselves with the users of the devil-fruit" Yamomoto spoke lowly, "We do not even wish to concern ourselves of your world, people who hunger for power defying fate itself willing to turn to the temptation of the powers of the devil fruits. We, no matter how much our hatred for the fruits can never do anything to prevent them from regenerating once their users passed on. However, you whose powers should have been lost when you have died still posses your control over the curse" "Is that why you called me here?" Ace inquired, "To see if I still have them?"

"Enkai!"

His body already lit up in fiery flames which turned hotter and larger by his command.

"Now you've seen it!"

Not to mention he wasn't using much energy.

Not when fighting this guy.

_**Yamamoto-Genryūsai is the leader of Gotei 13, he is a very important man and also a powerful one.**_

Ace's eyebrows furrowed, if he were to win he would have to defeat this man. But wouldn't defeating him mean the whole spiritual world is going to go against him? No, he's not afraid but that would mean trouble to the people back in his world and trouble to his family. And he wasn't about to get his recklessness be the reason for his family's misery, not like in the in his previous life.

An image of a crying Luffy appeared in his mind.

He definitely won't repeat his mistake again.

His mother's face popped out, with an understanding smile.

Hopefully

**-**_All is connected_**-**

Zaraki Kenpachi was man who loved to fight. It was his fuel, source of excitement and practically his whole life. He would gladly accept any kind of handicap if it meant a longer and much more exciting battle. He depended on his brawns rather than his logic; it usually works that way anyhow. He just loved a good fight, so when a familiar yet rare flow of reiatsu came into his radar, he couldn't help but grin wider. Even a fool would be able to know this piece of reiatsu, and damn the paperwork- he would do that later.

After all, it wasn't everyday you sense the reiatsu of the old fart blaring hot like flames.

He shunpo-ed himself outside his barracks, following the source- it wasn't too hard really. The reiatsu was powerful, more than enough to even sense where it was coming from without much knowledge on kidō. Briefly, on the corner of his eyes, he spotted the rest of the captains, jumping from roof to roof to the source. His grin, beating the laws of nature, simply turned wider than possible. Then, jumping up and followed his comrades. Kenpachi counted the captains around him.

_Huh? Two captains missing?_

"Doggy-taichōu is behind us~" Yachiru sang, popping up on his shoulder out of nowhere.

_Komamura?_

So that leaves...

-_Consume everything, demon of the blood-thirsty sword-_

Soifon (Or Suì-Fèng) silently looked at the large wall of flames where their commander was battling in while her men stood behind her, shivering. She scowled, wondering why she brought such fools here. Sensing other presence of her fellow captains, she stepped back from the flames slowly.

"Took you all long enough"

"The way down is a long way"

"How's the situation?"

"Yamamoto-soutaichou's battling a soul"

"Only one?"

"Who in Seireitei is he fighting against with?"

"We didn't sense anything that can be any harm... so is this soul a threat?"

Soifon shook her head, "We don't know that yet, for all we know he could just be practicing"

"If you have thought of that you wouldn't have brought men with you" Mayuri pointed out, "Wouldn't you?"

"Yama-jii's reiatsu doesn't look like he's killing someone..."

"I can give us an opening" Hitsugaya took out Hyonrimaru, "It'll tak-"

"There's no need for that," Byakuya interjected, "Look"

-_Do not say fire only destroys when it keeps you warm and gives you light_-

Flames circled around them, large roaring flames.

He briefly wondered when his opponent was going to tire himself out- probably not any time sooner. There were very small minor burnt marks on that man but other than that, there was no other injury what so ever. Yamamoto's endurance was amazing and deserved a well round of applause, managing to withstand flames that can even melt metal into liquid and evaporate it in the process with just miniscule wounds.

He coughed, wincing at the pain. His ribs hurt and he was positive those bones were poking his lungs right now; his throat was overflowing with blood. He coughed yet again to avoid drowning in his own blood that came from his injured respiration system. The muscles in his abdomen ache along with it, internal bleeding was happening in the lower area of his stomach. Of course not forgetting the tiny portion of his right shoulder missing (really, he wondered how come his arm was still even able to stick to his body). The upside was that the flames did minor injury to the captain commander but they _couldn't hurt __**him**_. It helped a ton, and now he knew... That familiar feeling in that man's reiatsu was because his zanpakūtou was a fire-type and heck Ace's body was practically made out of said heat. That was also why the heaviness of the reiatsu wasn't affecting him as much as it should.

The reiatsu however, was able to prevent him into using his power fully, say, if a column of flames hit him he would have come out fine but if it was layered with reiatsu then he would have some trouble.

He shook it off as result of his lack of training, another one of those things he should do if he would live after this.

Now the poking of his ribs was really annoying the hell out of him, it hurt damn it! And his stomach wobbled like a balloon filled with water.

These were the times he wished Marco was here, and those times were very rare.

The walls of fire surrounding their battling area was dissipating making him wonder if the fight was already over. From the middle of the sea of flames where he was standing he could see more shinigamis, each with powerful reiatsu. He felt them, some were cold while some were wild, and some were... suppressed? He stared at the man with scars on his face (He won't question about the kid on his shoulder, reminds him of Luffy clinging to him and Sabo). It wasn't unusual to him, so why should he ask?) , now there's a man who doesn't run from a fight. The-

_Fire..._

?

He snapped his head in time to face a large column of flames coming from above layered with strong impenetrable reiatsu. The fire around him suddenly rushing towards him to attack.

Ah darn, he had been distracted.

"Kusanagi no Tsurugi"

Yamamoto's eyes did not wander from his enemy and the area surrounding him. His gaze was transfixed there as well as the gaze of the rest of our captains. The flames suddenly twisted and gathered, rising up high in air dancing like the wind. This action, earned no more than a grin, several raised eyebrows and some silent questions. Licks of flames twisted in the sky similar to snakes, bursting into small petal-shaped figures whizzing around the area before fading away. The flames on the ground opted to merely open themselves up like a lotus blooming to reveal a kneeling figure of Portgas D. Ace coughing up more blood, complete with flames burning on his skin.

"Unohana"

Said woman understood and obeyed without further question, knowing that she needed to heal him (besides she couldn't ignore a wounded in need, enemy or not) and made an attempt to get closer her current patient. The flames surrounding Fire Fist roared back at her, shielding him from view. Unohana turned to Yamamoto, surprised as she assumed the roaring flames were because of him. Wasn't he the one who requested the man to be healed? Yamamoto merely shook his head. He turned from the healer to the wounded, eyes turning into slits.

"Tune out the fire brat; are you planning to cough the life out of you? She cannot heal you if you don't turn off those flames around you"

The captain of the 4th division watched the fire opening up a door-like hole, enough for her to enter through to reach the person inside the fire-like barrier. Once she had entered, the area surrounded by the protective flames grew wider to adjust to her presence, plus the door she had gone through sealed right up. Ignoring her mild amazement to focus at the task at hand, her expression turned grim at the amount of injury this young man had received; broken ribs, slightly scrapped lungs, horrible internal bleeding, cracks on the bones of his legs due to too much pressure inflicted, a sore migraine along with the steady pace of loss of blood. Not too bad from the others who had fought an opponent that strong before, in fact, they never even lived. It seems that the captain was holding himself back... though he certainly didn't look like he was doing so when he unleashed his fire. Speaking of fire...

**?**

Ah?

No burnt mark.

She rechecked him.

Not a single burnt mark was on him, even after he had been attacked by one of the strongest, hottest fire in all of Seireitei.

Not only he could withstand the fire, it seems that the fire protecting him now was his doings and yet...

He was unconscious.

-_-When in trouble, just survive it-_

* * *

**Explanation in worlds: Think of Ace's place as if it was one of the many districts outside of Seretei. Or the worlds just like Kingdom Hearts game.**

**Ace's devil fruit's powers: Eaten Devil fruits are free to respawn as soon as the user is dead thus, users lose both their powers and weakness upon entering death, but Ace's powers stuck with him. To be honest, I didn't know till further research so when I found out, I was shocked. But, what's done is done- I gave him access to his powers in chapter 1 so he's going to have to keep them. Making them slowly fade away is just... weird...**

**Here's the part in which I apologize for making lots of the characters OOC... I can't get their character right! I hope the readers aren't too disturbed by the characters. This story is fun to write as it is something new for me and I am happy to keep on writing just as I am happy people are reading this. And for that I thank you. All of you thank you for reading this story.**

**And the so supposed one-shot has just developed into a multi-chapter story... how in the world did that happen?**

**Hope you enjoyed chapter three! Thank you again to avatoa!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Title: PACKING UP DREAMS**

**Info: Bleach x One Piece**

**Dream IV: Tick Tock**

* * *

_- And no matter what happens, time keeps moving onward -_

_**CRASH! BANG! CREAK!**_

"Who the hell is making all those noises?" A teenage boy grumbled. He scratched his head, attempting to clear his mind of what seemed like to be a dream that he had been having.

He pulled the covers up and abruptly plopped back to bed, wincing at tiny pain he received from the impact. Then he remembered he sneaked his mattress to Jinbei, upon seeing that the fishman's injuries seemed worse than his own (that's what he thinks anyway). He'll have to talk with Hancock again to speed up the delivery of the new bed, but then again, the empress might take the whole island's mattresses and pile them up like some fairytale romance she heard once. If that happened, where would her people sleep? He shook his head, deciding he'll never understand the older woman's antics.

**CRASH! CREAK! CRACK!**

He raised an eyebrow when the farther half of the room he was staying in got crushed by a giant paw.

He stared into his hands, and breathed out a name.

He gave a determined smile and rushed forward.

_- For every stor_y _I_ _read,_ _I_ _feel their emotions. Suffocating yet wonderful -_

"How's the boy's condition?"

The captain of the 4th division took a step forward.

"He was in a critical condition, slightly worse than what I've seen from the outside, but less than what I have expected after a battle with you, Yamamoto-genryūsai. He suffered from a broken rib, punctured lungs, massive internal bleeding, several cracked bones then some. We have managed to stabilize him; he should come around in a few days at its longest. His arm has been restored as well. We-"

"Any burnt marks?"

Unohana flinched.

"No, none at all."

"As expected, that brat..."

"Yama-jii?"

"We have an unexpected case in our hands."

"You all have seen that boy..." Yamamoto's keen eyes stared at his captains. After a round of nods and answers, he continued, "That boy came from the Rough Seas, and as we all know, those who are sent to that realm once lived in a world where the 'Devil Fruits' exists." "Devil Fruits?" Hitsugaya asked. "Those are special types of fruits that allow the eater to have extraordinary and freakish powers in exchange for the ability to swim in the sea." Mayuri informed, "My division have once made several attempts to learn about them, but somehow they disappear within contact with soul particles that made up our society. Those who are the users of the devil fruits will eventually lose their powers because of the same reason too. Soul Particles."

"Then we can assume he has connection with the devil fruit," Byakuya closed his eyes. "He still has it, hasn't he?" Ukitake muttered.

A dragged silence

"Yes."

_- And so with that, he returned and disappeared into nothing- and nothing forever more. -_

"Hurry up Jinbei!"

"Me? Shouldn't you be saying that to yourself? Hurry up and ring that bell!"

"Ou!"

**DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG!**

_This is-?_

**DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG!**

"Strawhat Luffy is here! Get him!"

"You're not getting away this time!"

"In the name of Justice! Capture him!"

**DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG!**

_Luffy?_

**DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG!**

'_Idiot! This is the Marine Headquarters! What are you...'_

"Ng?"

'_Eh...'_

"A-Ace?"

'_Luffy...'_

"Hurry up Luffy-kun!"

"Huh? Oh! Right! I'm coming!"

"What were you looking at?"

The young man looked back, "Nothing, nothing at all..."

_-/-/-_

'_LUFFY!'_

_-/-/-_

_Bright light..._

Ace groaned; scrunching up his eyes closed. Was it always this bright when you've woken up from something bad?

"Ah! You're awake already Portgas-san."

He pushed himself off of his bed.

"Don't push yourself. You've just healed from a serious injury from that fight you've had previously."

Fight? Which one?

* * *

_Fire, there was fire everywhere. His body aches, every movement stings, the dried blood clinging to his body made it too damn hard to move around. The large wounds were numb and the tiny ones sting like bees. He couldn't stop fighting, mustn't stop fighting, must keep- Damn it! It hurts! He growled and shrugged it off. He had a battle to finish. Move, keep moving, and ignore the stupid pain. A cough, followed by another one, and more kept on coming. His legs gave away and he fell. His hands reached around, trying to grip at something to make him steady. His eyes scrunched up and all he could see was darkness. Where were his flames? It hurts; he needed something to distract him. He focused on the battle._

_But where's the battle?_

_Something turned his body around, but he couldn't see._

_He swore he heard a small gasp just now._

_Then, when a tiny sensation of relief began creeping up to his body, he fully succumbed into unconsciousness._

* * *

Oh...

Now he remembered.

He skimmed his surroundings. The walls were white, medical appliances were placed neatly beside pale sheeted beds, the windows showed buildings with orange roofs and white walls, with a clear sky. He then noticed the woman beside his bedside. She seemed kind. Her thick black hair was braided into one in front of her neck and she wore a black _hakama _and a white_ haori. _Her eyes were dark colored and a soft smile was on her youthful face. From those, he gathered that this must be some kind of hospital and that she was a doctor.

"Thank you ma'am," Ace made a move to get out of his bed, "I'm sorry for troubling yo-"

"Make no more moves please Portgas-san," Her voice held an eerie aura that demanded obedience, "You're not fully healed yet and should not leave till due date."

Behind her, more members of the division shook their hands frantically in the air, begging for his understanding. Their captain was not to be messed with! They made signs with their hands, repeatedly telling him to obey her or the consequences would be dire. Ace couldn't help but sweat drop at the scene, but might as-

The aura behind her got bigger, and somehow he felt like an invisible hand was pushing him back in bed. He frowned and slipped back to his original position, albeit reluctantly.

"Thank you for your cooperation, Portgas-san."

He could only nod as the aura dissipated from the woman.

"If I may ask..." The medic started, shifting lightly, "You called out a name in your sleep, quite loudly too if I do say so myself."

"I did?"

"Yes, it sounded like... 'fluffy' or something..."

"Luffy."

"Yes?"

"It's Luffy."

_- I swear I won't forget you! No matter what! Till the day this lotus and this heart cease to live -_

"Excuse me..."

"Huh?" Ace groggily sat up and yawned. He shifted in his bed, and stretched his arms. His head throbbed as he straighten himself up, he was getting used to this laziness. Probably not a good sign...

A small formed shinigami entered the room; in his hands was a tray of food. "I was... uh... asked to bring you food... if you would like to eat that is..." "Ah, thanks... what's your name?" Ace asked. "Ha-Hanatarō Yamada... Portgas-san..." "Hanatarō was it? That's a nice name," Ace smiled, "Thanks for the food. I was getting a bit hungry..." "So... you do... eat?" Hanatarō asked while he set down the tray. "What do you mean I do eat? Of course I do!" Ace accepted the bowl, "I'll be eating then!"

"Do people in the Rough Seas eat too?"

"Rough seas? You mean where I come from? Is that what you call it? The Rough Seas?"

"Yes it is, since it's one of the only places that has a large body of water."

"Huh... that's odd. What kind of a place that doesn't have a sea?"

"Well... I'm not really sure, but neither Seiretei nor the districts around it have one."

"Districts?"

"Yes. Soul Society is made up of Seiretei which is the area in the center separated by white walls and four gates with guardians on each of them. It is the main area where shinigamis run everything including military, research, technology and so on. Then, beyond the white gates are the districts. There are more than sixty districts. Also the smaller the numbers on the name of the district, the safer and richer they are. Districts are home areas for souls that cannot become a shinigami. The only way to get in and out of Soul Society is by portals that the shinigamis make."

"Why can't they become shinigamis? Do they have to pass tests to become one?"

"Well, yes and they also need the requirement of having reishis. Spiritual energy. Its signs are usually the fact that the soul gets hungry now and then. Those that don't have the need to eat do not have reishis and therefore cannot become a shinigami."

"I see... come to think of it... my family never seems to eat, just drinking beer when there are celebrations... does that count?"

"I don't think so... is there anyone else that eats there like you?"

"I..."

"_Come back alive then ask me... Ace"_

"I think so..."

_- I'm not asking you to turn back, I'm asking you to stop -_

"Lift it up and carry it off!"

The green coated boy gripped his metal pole tightly. His lips formed a straight forced line and his eyes glared at every of the black clad shinigamis packed up his brother's belongings and left. "Is it really all right ma'am?" Sabo titled his head up, "Letting him stay with them I mean..." "It is not like we have much of a choice Sabo," Rouge sighed, "He is in their hands now."

"Can't we do something?" Thatch asked, "Ace is-"

"No, taking him back by force is suicide and may endanger him."

"But Ace is fearless and strong!" Thatch argued, "Surely we'll be able to somehow sneak in and-"

"That would be enough."

"Father!" The young man frowned at his 'father', "Why-" "If Ace is strong then he'll get through this" Whitebeard grinned, "Let's just see how this unfolds." Thatch grunted and looked away in disappointment but said no more. Whitebeard grunted, "How is he?" Rouge shook her head, "I can't say; he's just...smiling..." Whitebeard nodded, looking back into the house where his friend stood.

_What will you do now...Roger?_

_- If my role as a villain will push you out of this hell then so be it -_

He sighed. How long was he supposed to be in this place? He had risen, and slept and was pretty sure went through strange check-ups he didn't get. Even so, he had not been announced ready to leave by the braided-hair lady. He was getting restless by the minute! How much time had he spent here? There was no clock, he lost count of the nights and days he had seen passing by through the window. Subtly, he gazed at the glass fixed on its frame. The orange roofs and white buildings, clear blue sky and puffy white clouds meet his eyes. Nothing out of place, nothing except...

Those darkened spots

The shadows from the light were uneven in certain shaded parts.

His hands turned into fists.

He was being watched.

Damn!

He knew something was up!

His eyes darted around the room; what could he use? There was nothing. He frowned for a silent moment of thoughts, and raised his hands.

Nothing.

There was no signs of burning, no signs of the reddish hue of orange flame he was so used to seeing. Instead, came the feeling of pressure excreted on his skin- pressing him down. He ceased his actions- the pressure stopped. He tried to summon up his flames again, then that same pressure returned. He frowned.

_Something was keeping him, preventing him from releasing his flames._

_But who?_

He remembered,

_Dang! The power of the reiatsu! It was practically choking him already, and the force! The-_

_**Pressure...**_

_**! **_

Of course- he took another look at the window. He stared to the hidden spies beneath the shadows

Indeed he felt some energy radiating off of them, for some reason he just knew. They had to be behind this. Like the fight between that old bearded man; the pressure of stronger reiatsu (especially when combined or united) blocking and suppressing other weaker ones. Ace twitched; the situation was getting more and more suspicious by the minute. He wasn't all that willing to stay at the supposed sanctuary anymore. He threw the covers off and got up. He reached the doorknob.

Locked

Another curse flew from his lips while he walked back towards the white mattress.

He really needed to get out of here.

_- Tell me, am I allowed to change? -_

Hanatarō hurried his pace to a jog, the tray of medicines and variety of reiatsu tests nearly spilling its contents. He was late! Ridiculously late! Like the white rabbit, he scurried to the door and unlocked it. He slipped inside and greeted the lazing man inside.

"It's time for your medicines Portgas-san."

"Thanks Yamada-san. Can I ask you something?"

"Uh… I guess…"

"How long will I be staying here?"

"I don't know Portgas-san, but I'm sure it won't be long before you're ready to be released."

"And if I try to escape?"

Hanatarō froze. The bottle he held fell from his loose fingers and onto the floor, shattering instantly. "Ah! Shoot!" He fidgeted slightly before bending down to pick up the pieces. His fingers shivered, and he stood up to bow. "I-I'm sorry! I'll get a new one immediately, Portgas-san. Please wait here!" With shaking hands, he fitted the key into the hole and opened the door. "I don't think it's a good idea," Hanatarō muttered, just loud enough for both of them to hear. His mind flashed back to-

* * *

"_Ichigo... I just thought up a way to get out of here..."_

"_You too? Let's do it then!"_

"_E-eh? 'Get out of here?' Excuse me, but are you those intruders we're fighting againts?"_

"_Hey! Make way!"_

"_If you don't want your friend to die!"_

"_HYA-AAH!"_

* * *

"_We are your enemies! Why are you taking us to the "White Tower" without any questions?"_

"_Actually, I learned a lot about you from Rukia-san, Kurosaki Ichigo-san. And I sincerely hope that you'll rescue her."_

* * *

"But it's not impossible is it?" Ace broke his trail of memories, with a lazy and playful smile. "I guess," Hanataro nodded, "The window is a good way, or smashing down the door."

"I see... But if I take the door that means I'll have to navigate my way through the corridors right?"

"That's right," Hanatarō nodded, "And even if you did succeed, you'll have to navigate your way again through Soul Society, and that's hard work. Also, you'll have to pass through the guardian that guard each of the gates."

"From there, then you'll get out?" Ace asked.

Hanatarō shook his head, "You'll get out to the Districts and no further than that. Since you're from the Rough Seas you'll need to get out of Soul Society to reach it, and that's only possible with a Senkaimon. Anyway, I'll go and take your medicine, Portgas-san." Hanatarō bowed, and then left right after he locked the door. Turning around the series of corridors, he entered the medicine and materials section, politely greeting the administrator and asking for his requirements.

* * *

"_Unohana-san… what are these for?"_

"_We'll be running tests for him as well; nothing too massive. Simply a daily measurement of his reiatsu, that's all."_

"_Without telling him?"_

"_Well, I suppose you can refer it as that Hanatarō."_

"_B-But! That's a bit… uh… unfair!"_

"_If we send him to the 12__th__ division, it would be in the right section. However, we do not want to alarm him of anything. Yamamoto-genryūsai has given his word upon the matter. The first thing we need to do is to make sure he does not do anything reckless. Also, I've heard that he's from the Rough Seas…"_

"_Th-The Rough Seas? But that's the-!"_

"_It is. Keep an eye on him all right? That goes for the rest of you too."_

* * *

He returned to the room, and unlocked it.

It was empty.

And the window was smashed into pieces.

"_NO WAY! HE SERIOUSLY DID IT?"_

"I-I have to tell Unohana-taichou!" Hanatarō exclaimed, and with a clang of the forgotten tray he rushed off and left. From behind the counter hidden the curtains that separate the beds, Ace stood up and smiled in victory at the door that was left open. He stepped out of the room, glancing to and fro, and then running off.

He had to find his things first.

-_ Come now step quickly, do not falter. Time it carefully or it is over_ -

"Unohana-taichou!" Hanatarō burst through the double doors.

"Hanatarō, what's going on? Your face is all red and you're out of breath!" Isane walked towards the shorter shinigami. "Hanatarō, calm yourself down first," Unohana told him, "Now tell me, what's going on?" "Por-Portgas...hah... h-he escaped!" "What?" Isane gasped, "But there's a barrier there! How could he have escaped?"

"Isane! Get a_ Jigokuchō_ here immediately! Warn the other members and call the Patrol Corps!"

"Y-Yes!"

_ - We treasure things we have so few of -_

Ace frowned at the horde of people dressed in black, blocking his way. He charged towards them.

The news of his escape spread fast, he supposed.

Or maybe it was just because of his too different outfit from the other inhabitants.

He did a duck and a jump from blades aiming to wound him, then grabbed both hands and swung them off balance. Next he slid past another blade and repeated his actions. He stomped on the man and moved on. He kept on his constant move of dodging and slipping between enemies, their attacks ending up hurting their allies instead of him. He flipped himself upside down, hands on the floor and feet in the air, kicking away his enemies. Another jump and another punch were also executed soon after.

He gave a swift kick to the lower torso of the man he was fighting, and then continued his running. Ace huffed, and turned right. He jumped up to a wall and on to the roof. He paused to sit and catch his breath, before proceeding to look around. The city stretched far as seen from the many orange roofs and white buildings. The tallest one was right in the middle, which he assumed must be the areas for the captains, and that old man he fought with; namely Yamamoto. "He's old but strong," He mumbled, "Reminds me of old man Whitebeard." He shook his head, and gathered that the city was surrounded by white tall walls- making it look like a container. He counted four gates.

"Each gate has a guardian he said... I should get to the districts before planning further. If I keep my eyes focused on one of the gates, I should be able to reach it eventually... no matter how many twists and turns that will take..." Ace stood, "Shouldn't be too hard..."

"Hey! He's over there!"

"Tch!" He stood up and continued to run.

He jumped down and ran eastward, where he was met by yet another horde of shinigamis.

"This will take a while..."

He then noticed that his body felt warm, warmer than he had been before.

He grinned.

"**Hikēn!"**

Satisfied at the fact his powers were no longer suppressed, he gave a double check at the enemies to see if they would heal or not. Making sure they weren't dead- _if it was possible since this is supposed to be the after-life right?_ He left soon after.

- _I never imagined that childhood promise to later be the wretched chain that grounds me to you_ -

Ace chuckled as he ran. He didn't realize how much he missed the thrill of fighting and the rush it gave him. He skidded past more Shinigamis, and turned right. His muscles stretched and flexed actively, and his heart drummed to the rhythm of his breathing. His legs sprinted, happy at the exercise it was getting from their long hiatus in the hospital. The adrenaline pumping through his veins and the space of freedom no matter how fragile it was; was not only enjoyable.

It was exhilarating!

He clicked his tongue when he arrived at a turn, with enemies in the front already waiting and enemies following him in the back. "**Hotarubi**!" He smiled at the firefly-shaped lights that appeared from his palms and let them fly towards the people clad in black. "**Hidaruma**!" He commanded. The presumed fireflies surrounded the shinigamis and burst into small explosions of flames. Small yet enough to carry out damage, Ace smirked and jumped up a wall; effectively making his escape. He leap up onto a nearby roof's edge. And then ran upwards, sweat-dropping at yet another horde of shinigamis chasing him. "Seriously, they never seem to run out now do they?" He cursed slightly, sliding down the other side of the roof. He landed on his feet and stared up towards the gate he was aiming- namely, the west gate.

At a larger route and suspiciously clear, he shook his head and took it nonetheless.

_Tap!_

_Tap!_

He had only taken a few steps when...

_Tap!_

_CRASH! BOOM! SWOOSH!_

And before him, on a crater that was formed from the landing impact, stood one grinning and largely built shinigami. And oddly, he dressed with a purple collar and jingling accessories with the usual outfit Ace always sees on the people living here. And as much as Ace would like to be polite, he'll be honest- the man was not only largely built, he was what Ace would refer as fat but tall. "You've got to be kidding me..." He groaned, "He's as big as Juzo!"

_A vein popped._

"What do you mean by big huh?" The Shinigami demanded, "Are you saying that I'm fat?" "Hey! I never said that!" Ace shook his hands up in defense, "Though now that you've mentioned it, you are quite fat-" ""I'm not fat! I'm just plump! It's a symbol of affluence. It's not the same as a poor bastard like you who's just sloppily fat without any reason. That's what you are." The Shinigami replied as he unsheathed his sword. "Do I look fat compared to you?" Ace sweat-dropped once again. He patted his stomach as a proof. It does look slim. "Who the hell are you anyway?" Ace asked, "Why am I even talking to you again?"

"Hah! You are the fool here! My name is Marechiyo Ōmaeda! Get ready!" He charged forward.

"Thanks for the warning." Ace replied dryly.

His zanpakutō swished and slashed efficiently, and Ace had to admit. The guy was quite skilled at his sword- though not as good as Vista. Ace dodged it, over and over. He jumped backwards to gain more space between the blades and his still intact skin. Ōmaeda launched himself forward after him.

"Gah!"

And ceremoniously tripped, and then fell.

Again another sweat-drop (which would be the third one) appeared behind Ace head as he watched the plump man trip and fall.

"You seriously got to be-"

"Gotcha!"

"?"

Ōmaeda appeared behind his back, his sword edging nearer to Ace's neck.

"Heh, you're pretty damn fast for a big guy." Ace commented. "Who do you think I am huh?" Ōmaeda taunted. "I have no clue and honestly don't care." Ace replied curtly. He was ignored- plain and simple. "Marechiyo Ōmaeda, the commander of the Patrol Corps!" He continued, "There's no way I'll be that slow if I'm in the Onmitsukīdo!" "A special Division?" Ace asked. "You better believe it!" Ōmaeda boasted, "Our job is to take care those who escape when they're not supposed to! Like the likes of you poor beings! And patrol the area! No one knows the roads better than us!" "So it's like a security force huh?" Ace thought, "Kinda sounds like the Marines..."

"Now you will-"

"Will get out of your grip and hands now," Ace pushed himself forwards towards the blade letting it slip through his neck, "Thank you for your time Mister!"

"What?"

Ace's neck remained intact.

He gave a grin, "Do your best."

"Why you little-" Ōmaeda raised his sword and slashed.

The blade passed through the tanned man like slashing fire.

"Wha-"

He gave out a slash one after the other.

No avail.

"What the?" "My turn now, eh?" Ace turned his back around and gave a swift kick to the larger man's side, making sure his leg was up in flames when attacking. "Ouch! It burns!" Ōmaeda yelled, patting his hands on his burnt clothes, in attempt to die out the fire. "This was made from an expensive clothing you bastard!" He yelled. Ace shrugged, "It looks the same anyway... **Hiken**!" Fire seeped from his fist and fired off its flames. But the enemy was gone.

"I told you!"

"Tch!"

"I'm not that slow!" Ōmaeda yelled, his hands readied his shikai. Ace cursed, "**Enkai**!" "Crush him! _Gegetsuburi_!" The spiked ball glowed purple, then slammed on the area where the former pirate was standing. Dust and stones fell and clouded his sight. "Heh, how's that for a fat guy huh?" Ōmaeda laughed.

"It was well performed."

"What?"

Ace was above him, body in flames, "However let's finish this shall we?"

"Ho-How?"

"**Hibashira**!"

- _I'm not reckless, I just can't see why I should pick decisions that will only trouble me -_

Yamamoto-genryūsai sipped his tea quietly, appreciating the warm water slipping down his throat.

_WOOSH!_

He twitched at the sound, getting a good idea of what had happened. He turned towards his lieutenant. "That brat... Where are the _Patrol Corps_?" "They're dealing this matter as we speak." Sasakibe replied. "Send a message to the other Gotei Divisions," He ordered, "Tell them to stay alert and on look out." "Soutaichou... is that really necessary? It's impossible to get out of Soul Society without a _Senkaimon_. He has no knowledge of them." "We mustn't be careless. Even the slightest mistake can lead to the worst situation, have you forgotten so easily Sasakibe?" Said man bowed his head down at the demanding tone, "I apologize."

"Let them do what they want with him.

We'll see how long he'll hold."

Chōjirō Sasakibe turned towards the view of Seiretei, sighing at the hint of a pillar of fire that suddenly appeared amongst the orange rooftops.

- _This is all inevitable isn't it?_ -

Ace ran and behind him laid a fine heap of beaten, half-burnt-but-will-heal shinigamis.

The roads were like a maze, and he paused. He steadied his breath, and glanced at the West-Gate. "Still a lot more to go..." He said, and he slowly sank down to the floor. The running and fighting has left him slightly breathless, although he felt no exhaustion when his flames were released. This to him was odd since using his powers meant consuming his energy but so far, that hasn't been happening since he came here. And his head throbs just to think of it. He shook his head then stood up slowl-

**SLASH!**

A blade just cut down the wall he was leaning against. He frowned at the next enemy he was forced to face.

A yellow haired man with a sword that was bent on the edge to a shape of a 'U' was standing in front of him.

"You must be Portgas D. Ace, right?"

"Shit..."

Ace gave off a frustrated noise, glaring at another opponent he has to face,"That's one fine blade you got there." "Wabisuke is an excellent zanpakutō," Izuru Kira agreed, "It increases any weight of the item it comes to contact with." "That's one hell of a power," Ace smiled, "But you really shouldn't be telling me that right?" "Might as well let you know, before you are defeated." He replied. He stepped forward, with a swift thrust to his neck that Ace dodged quickly; he stepped backwards then ran forward, delivering a kick to the man's stomach. Izuru, bracing for the impact, readied his hand and when the leg got close enough, he made his slash.

Izuru coughed, and smiled, "I've hit you once with my sword. Did you feel it?"

"When I kicked you? Yes, not too shabby of sword-play."

"That's one..." Izuru stood up, "Two more to go!"

The battle continued on, with Ace dodging the quick lethal strikes of Wabisuke.

Till finally...

They panted for air. Both exhausted from moving.

"Why aren't you slowing down? You should feel heavier after Wabisuke struck you!"

"I know," Ace replied, clenching and releasing his hands. Izuru narrowed his eyes at the fire-wielder's hands- they've lightened up with flames. "Hard to make something that's not solid and stable," Ace continued, "Heavier when they're floating and light in the first place." "I see...," Izuru mumbled, "Then I suppose my Zanpakutō is not much of a help here, isn't it?" "No, I suppose not," Ace shook his head. "**Bakudō #61** **rikujōkōrō**!" He recited. Ace's eyes widened at the restraints suddenly holding him in place in a form of six thin wide beams of light. He closed his eyes, and let it pass through him, letting the flames handle the rest. He smashed it with his flames, and stared at his opponent. "**Hiken**!"

"**Bakudō #39 Enkosēn**!" A light round-shaped barrier acted as a shield and let the fire slid off to continue on slowing from its sides. And without too much burnt marks, Izuru remained safe.

"**Hadō #58 Tenran**!" He released another kidō, this time causing a large tornado. It aimed towards the freckled man, giving tiny cuts to his skin, and raising him upwards. Izuru was about to call out another kidō when-

"Up here!"

The lieutenant looked up.

"**Hibashira**!"

- _Just because the world doesn't care, doesn't mean there isn't anyone who doesn't care_ -

"I really have to stop using that technique..." Ace grumbled, flexing his strained arm. "It really gives away my location..."

He walked away from the burnt battle-scene, and jumped up the wall. He spotted a nearby tree, and jumped up to its branches. "This is getting tiring." He twirled his dagger around his fingers.

* * *

"_Shinigamis?"_

"_Yes, the people clad in black. They brought you here did they not?"_

"_Yeah, they did. What about them?"_

"_You've noticed that they possess a variety of weapons right?"_

"_Yep, mostly swords and katanas."_

"_Indeed, that is their dormant form, when they release energies from it, it changes form and are known to have special abilities such as controlling elements, masses, deflecting attacks and such. Their released form, also known as Shikais take form of their power, abilities and spiritual energy. A Zanpakutō is a part of the user's soul, a solidified for of their spiritual energy. You cannot just take any sword from a random shinigami, for they have a mind of their own along with feelings as well."_

"_I see... but why are you telling me all of this?"_

"_It's just for safety precautions my son... nothing more and nothing less."_

"_And this dagger too?"_

"_Well, I heard you carried a dagger before and I thought it might be useful to you. Do you like it?"_

"_Yeah, I do. Thanks mom."_

* * *

"I guess mom must've known," Ace chuckled, "Am I really that predictable Mother?" He raised his hands to his neck, feeling the absence of his single sea-stone necklace. "It's a good thing they're made of Soul Particles, not sea-stones..."

Soon after he regained his breath, he ran once more.

He turned left, arriving at a cross-road. For reference, Ace looked up towards the west gate; it seemed closer from the right side.

He turned right.

He jogged up the road then stopped.

He turned.

"So you've finally sensed my presence huh?"

Ace's eyes turned to the figure on the roof. He had a fierce gaze, spiky hair and tattoos on his face. Ace shook his head, "Not really, something called instincts." "A newbie huh?" He leap down, "Portgas D. Ace you are to return to the 4th division barracks immediately." "Not that I had a problem there, but it was getting uncomfortable." Ace grinned, "Send my regards to them when I land you there."

"Tell them yourself!"

He drew out his blade, and stepped forward. In a swift movement, Ace blocked it with his dagger.

"Oh? You're armed? And here I thought I would be doing a foul play in battling an unarmed man."

"Lucky for both of us then."

"My name is Shūhei Hisagi," He leaped backwards, sword swishing at his side. He said no more, and charged forward.

A swing to the left.

A swing to the right.

A swing to the front.

Ace blocked them every time, he mentally thanked Vista for giving (or forcing) him proper teaching methods on swordplay and his old man who forced him to learn more on said subject under the teachings of Roger. Ace flinched at the recent wound he received. Ah, he had been distracted again...

"Keep your eyes focused on the enemy!" Hisagi yelled, "Or else you'll..."

His words trailed off track as he saw his blade go right through the man, in a line of flames.

"I am focused," Ace replied, his hands burning in flames, "How about you?"

"!"

"**Higan**!"

Shuhei dodged the bullets of fires raining down on him. "Ngh!" He gritted his teeth, clutching his now wounded right shoulder, "A flame man?" "Flame man?" Ace laughed, "That sounds really weird, least my bounty name makes sense!" "Bounty name?" Hisagi asked as he lifted his sword again, preparing to charge. And charge he did; quick, strong and harsh came the blow. Ace swore he could feel the dagger slipping from his fingers due to the force he applied against his attempts to block the attack.

"Fire Fist Ace."

- _It's heavy this burden I carry, and it's heavier to know that whether or not I carried it, I was despised_ -

"Marco, would it be all right if we all rest here till our injuries recovered?" Jozu asked, "They would like to stay..." He gestured to the many resting Whitebeard crew mates that gathered around them, still in healing. "It's fine," Marco nodded, "It won't do us any harm if we stay here for a while, besides they're still getting over Ace and Old man's deaths." "Yeah," Jozu replied, "It's a big loss, and we've lost many other crew mates. It used to be 1,600 was it?" "It's a big loss," Marco replied, turning around to take his leave, "But that doesn't mean we're giving up. Those who are lost will be remembered. That's all I know for know."

"I'm going to take a walk, see to it that the others are healed."

"Yeah, don't get lost!" Jozu grinned. "Mock turtle!" Marco teased back, waving and leaving.

Jozu gave a sigh at the retreating commander.

"He just need some time to gather his thoughts, don't worry about him." Vista approached him, "He's got a big weight on his shoulders now that pop's gone."

"Yeah, I know..."

Marco shook his head, "If you want to talk about someone you could at least do it quietly you know..." He whispered, "But that's just the way it is I guess..."

His feet brought him to an empty clearing, the ground hard and rocky.

"What's it like in the afterlife Ace?" He asked to the wind, as he let his hand light up in blue flames.

* * *

"What's it like in the afterlife Ace?"

The question just suddenly seemed to pop in his head without warning, as he failed to fully invade the upcoming attack from the dark haired shinigami. "Great!" He said sarcastically, "I'm trapped in a place by shinigamis and fighting one right now!" He jumped up the wall and leaped, "Really, you pick the strangest times to pop up in my head Marco."

"The least you can do is give me some advice or get my hat here!"

"What are you talking about?" Hisagi demanded, "Your opponent is here!"

"I'm aware of that!

"**Hadō #33 Sōkatsui**!"

"**Kyōkaen**!"

* * *

Marco's knees shook and buckled up, "What the hell..." He clutched his head.

"Marco!" Izo rushed over to him, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, it's just..."

"_Great!"_

"I thought I just heard..."

"_I'm trapped in a place by shinigamis and fighting one right now!"_

"Are you sure you're all right?" The purple dressed pirate asked, "Maybe you should rest for a bit..."

"_Really you pick the strangest times to pop up in my head Marco."_

"Maybe I should..."

"_The least you can do is give me some advice or get my hat here!"_

"Or..."

"Marco?"

"Izo... Do you know anything about those beliefs that say burning things to a deceased person so that those things we've burnt can be given to their soul in the after life?"

- _Somehow I know you're there..._ -

* * *

**Ace's ability is able to let things pass through him, but where's the fun in that if he's not wounded? So, he'll only let certain things pass through him without getting hurt if he's focused, if he's not then he's vulnerable to attacks like you and I. For now...**

**A **_Senkaimon_** is a gate-way or a portal used as a route of going in and out of Soul Society.** _Patrol Corps_** is a division in the Onmitsukidō specializing in patrolling and capturing those who have escaped after being proclaimed under house-arrest. What Izuru recited were spells or **_kidō_**. They're however, not exactly accurate so I apologize for the mistype you may find here- feel free to review or PM me if you have anything to say.** _Jigokucho_ **are black butterflies responsible for sending messages and guiding shinigamis through the** _Senkaimon_**.****  
**

**And it lives! Le gasp! *coughs* Moving on... As usual, the time gap between my updates is 6 months...**

**Happy Early Birthday to Ace and Eiichiro Oda-sensei! Then, Happy Belated B'day to you Desy! I hope you're having fun wherever you are right now! Also to the readers of this story, thank you for reviewing and reading! Your support is most appreciated, thank you! *hands cookies***

**Happy New Year everyone! May the next year bring happiness to all of us!**

* * *

**Review reply corner. (The rest of the replies can be found at the bottom of chapter 1.) I really should send PM instead...**

**avatoa**: Seriously, I can't thank you enough avatoa for pointing my mistakes in chapter 3. Thank you!

**Kuroyukihime2**: Thank you! I'll try my best in updating with a faster pace... though it's probably not going to happen any time sooner... Thank you for reading!

**pdacelover**: Oh it's ok! The story is fun to write and I still want to remember Ace... *sobs* Thank you for the reivews you have given! In my view, Yamamoto is absolutely strict and I guess that's why he is bothered by it. Honestly, I freaked out when I wrote chapter 3 since I realized devil fruit powers weren't supposed to work after death- but what's done is done I suppose... Thank you!

**SilverLunaMoon: **H-Huah... you... reviewed... I loved your story _Mission Hogwarts_! Thank you for the review, I try my best! *hides the pile of research items on fires in the back* Please wait for the more battles later on!


	5. Chapter 5

**Title: Packing Up Dreams  
**

**Info: Bleach x One Piece  
**

**Dream V: Memoirs into Break**

* * *

**-**_Push me forward—_

It was an unspoken rule for one to respect the other in the society. Ace would do his best to follow it, regardless of the situation- making sure he started out friendly. But most of them would end deadly. Oh forget it- he was never good at rhymes. But really, now wasn't the perfect time for such musings now isn't? He got up, having been thrown straight into a wall of a building, well, former building. It was all nothing but stones and dust now. He jumped up at the man again.

"We can stop now," Shuhei suggested, "If you agree to return, this fight and chase shall cease."

Ace's blade clashed, "Give me a reason to say yes."

"This fight will end with the least chaos to our citizens, isn't that enough?"

"Like hell I'm going to believe they can't protect themselves."

It was the aspect he fully believed. He couldn't even take three turns without running into _someone attempting to stop him with the blades! _And as far as he knew, beyond the white walls of this place, were the districts- any fight inside Seireitei stayed in Seireitei. His dagger clashed with the fine work of a _zanpakutō _and Ace was mildly impressed at the sturdiness of the seemingly worn out blade. His mother had a good eye for weapons.

Shuhei grunted, then _shunpo-ed _back up to the air and fired a spell.

"**Hadō #4, Byakurai**!"

A bolt of lightning shot itself from his finger, Ace barely having anytime to dodge. He ran around on the ground, nearly tripping on his boots- but somehow managed to narrowly miss each shot. He skidded past the last one, and concluded one thing. He _did not _want to get hit by that damn th-

"Ugh!"

Barely having enough time to recover from his fall, he groaned as long white rods showered down at him, some skidding past his skin, drawing scratches and blood. While neither had caused any more injury than a few more bruises and scratch marks, it had effectively immobilized him. A voice called out his name, and it was not in a pleasant tone. It was demanding, challenging, _mocking. _He opened his eyes, up to the bright sky where his opponent stood.

Damn, how did he get up there?

Ah, right… reishi…

Fighting that ol' man has its use after all, Ace cheered himself up.

"What now?" Shuhei taunted his opponent, blade ready at hand, "You can no longer move!"

No, not for long, Ace smirked.

Fire burning through him, he slipped through the rods easily. Flames gathered at his foot, and he propelled himself upwards, face up to his enemy.

_Clang!_

Dagger and blade met roughly.

As clashes and swings carried on during the majority of their fight and blows were exchanged, it was clear that it wasn't going anywhere anytime sooner. His ears soon picked up the sound of distant hurried footsteps.

'_More shinigamis', _Ace frowned.

It wasn't going to be an even fight, but...

To hell with it.

He charged forward, narrowly slipping underneath a swing of a blade and gripped his opponent in a tight head-lock. He flipped himself over, planning to slam down to the ground. Shuhei however, had another idea; his hand slipped through the arm on his neck and felt around for his bands around his neck. They exploded with a _BANG! _A rush of smoke enveloped them both. Shuhei took Ace's surprise to his advantage, twisting his body to the side and elbowing him in the gut. As Ace's grip on his neck loosened, he grabbed the arm on his neck, pulled and bent him over. He flipped him down to the ground below them.

"Shuhei-san!"

Ace frowned, and summed up the situation. There were shinigamis below him, and while his opponent was on top of him, still covered with masses of smoke. He better take care of the ones below him first.

"**Enkai!**"

He heard a grunt, and stared at the figure appearing through the smoke. He was falling towards him, blade in hand. Ah, now Shuhei-san was charging straight for him while the shinigamis below waited, or they could just jump up and attack. Not good- Ah, nothing to do other than…

"**Hibashira!**"

He loved that technique, even though it gave away his location too easily; but then again, with that cloud of smoke in the air, it gave him away anyway. Not much to do about that now. A pillar of flame formed around him, and stretched to the top and bottom with every intention to burn those in their path. "Tch!" Shuhei lowered his arms and _Shunpo-ed _away in a blink.

The others however, weren't as lucky.

Most were wounded, some fell on their knees but none were beyond the healing abilities of the 4th Squad. They'll be patched up in next to no time at all, Shuhei assured himself. He _shunpo-ed _to them though, as an extra precaution; he didn't need more men dying on him. As soon as he made sure of the situation at hand, he searched for the runaway flame man. He was gone- his reiatsu spread out in the area, striving in the flames he left behind on the roofs and burnt marks on the stones.

"Spread out and search for him!"

"Yes sir!"

...

...

_Crickle,trickle._

_Crack. Crumble.  
_

From the pile of rubble and debris, the dust cleared and the rocks seemed to move- out came Ace. He groaned and shook his head. He crawled out of the ruins, and stumbled away from the scene. He looked around, and sweat dropped.

Where did everybody go?

"Ah, must've fallen asleep again…"

Damn his narcolepsy.

He picked up his blade and twirled it in his hands.

Pity, Shuhei was a good opponent, if he didn't hold himself back that is. Even a blind man could tell he wasn't using his full power- thus, Ace didn't feel obliged to give the fight his all either if his opponent was unwilling to drown himself fully in the excitement of a battle. His hand then landed on his stomach, where he had been elbowed in. He should've been able to avoid that, but he didn't. No, Ace shook his head, he _couldn't_. The guy's hand- body in fact, was filled with reiatsu.

* * *

"_Get up and fight boy!"_

_Ace gasped and coughed, he greedily gulped in air. Gods, he needed to breathe! This was not good! Damn it, he's strong! Ace cursed, and sluggishly pushed his body off the ground and steadied his legs. His chest hurt and bled; how did that old man managed to wound him?_

_Why won't his flame let it phase through him? It was as if the man had haki…_

_Did he? Or was his sword layered with sea-stones?_

"_How…" He choked, "How could you… wound me?"_

"_Your body is made out of spirit particles boy, as my sword is," Yamamoto explained, "If their spiritual pressure, their reiatsu is strong and thick enough in amounts, they will be able force down your powers." He suddenly appeared in front of Ace, "Focus!" He slammed his hand into the younger's lower abdomen. "A moment of distraction- is all it takes to seal your fate!"_

_He couldn't hear- all he could feel was the pain. It hurts! God it hurts!_

"_URGH-GHA!"_

_More blood was splattered on the ground, and Ace dimly noted that it was his own._

* * *

Ace clenched his hands, reiatsu could block his powers. He had learned that over and over, it always felt like there was an impenetrable wall pressing against his body. He wanted to break it, to retaliate, to shake his own body like mad to see if he could get that feeling of being squeezed. He felt _restless_! And he couldn't do anything about it.

He clenched until his knuckles turned into white.

_-When you've given up, expectations are all you have-_

Seretei was like a maze, there were roads that lead up to anywhere, some to new paths and few led him right up to a total road block. Ace at first, assumed it was to confuse any intruders, so both he and his captors had a disadvantage. Sooner later, Ace soon found out, it was but a useless point against the shinigamis, for no matter where he ran; there always seem to be _a freaking group or someone _that would find him faster than he could do a somersault. Not that he would, but the most important matter at hand wasn't that. No, it wasn't the fact he was _still _being chased around like a rabbit on a hunt but it was th-

_Growl~_

He clutched his stomach, wincing slightly at the rumble. All the running did no comfort to his now empty stomach- that needed the much desired comfort from foods. _**Lots **_of it!

He continued on his path with a much more dejected face and h-

_Groaan, growl~_

**Tap, tap, tap!**

"There he is! Get him!"

_Twitch, twitch_

"Stop harassing a hungry man!"

"_**Hiken!"**_

Let us just say he has a rapidly declining patience as well.

-_Stay the way you are, never change-_

Ace kept walking on as he clutched his stomach, ignoring the constant grumble of complains from his bottomless pit he calls a stomach. It wasn't easy, and he was rapidly feeling weaker and weaker. His steps grew sloppy and he no longer had the energy to run. As dramatic as it may sounds, it was the truth- as far as he was concerned at least. His body was tired from all the running and fighting that he had done. He didn't even know how long he had been fighting; the sky seemed unchanging, like dependant on an hour pointer in a broken clock, never moving. Great, now he was getting poetic.

Not to mention hungrier.

Either time moves _very _slowly here, or he was just hallucinating.

He dragged himself over a wall, wondering if there was some kind of food he could grab, maybe a fruit or some-

Ah, his hand slipped.

_Thud!_

"Ouch…" He rubbed his sore arm, and stared at his surroundings.

Well what do you know, it was a garden. Donned with grass and various herbal plants on its side and dotted with Sakura trees yet fully in bloom. The wind blew as the sun gently on the scenery. It was reflected off the water from the pond. It was quite large with a makeshift river with and simple red bridge over it, and he could see the decors in those waters- rocks and various decos like fountains. Lotus flowers would proudly display themselves above the ripples of the water, and beneath them deep down were the plants. They along with the leaves of the lotus flowers made a great home with a lovely shade for the fishes to live an-

_Wait a damn moment!_

_Splash~_

Ace was not a fool, contrary to his looks and antics, he was quite intelligent. He had to, otherwise he would have had made a career as a pirate, a captain and a leader of his own division in fact. He knew the ways of the waves, the water and its dangers. Not to mention the knowledge of compasses and getting his way around after a while. But now, he seriously considered smacking himself for not realizing something sooner. There's a garden in front of him, with a pond! A pond filled with fat, juicy fishes! And to his hungry tummy, it was food. Why he didn't realize it sooner he had no idea, really. Instead he wasted minutes inspecting the beauty of garden while letting his poor stomach suffer!

Yes, he really wanted to slap himself.

He looked around left and right, muttering a quiet prayer and apology to whoever was the unlucky owner of such helpfully delicious looking mea- fishes.

Hopefully they'll understand.

Obviously they won't.

_Yum_

It took a while. But soon Ace had a fish through a stick from a nearby tree branch and was cooking it. Times like this, he was glad for his devil fruit. He willed his left hand to burn into flames, before roasting his lunch. There weren't any spices or sauces, but it would do in a pinch.

He waited for it to cook, occasionally turning the fish around by twirling the stick.

And he started to drift off… to slumbe-

"Ace! Can you hear me?!"

"Huh?" Ace looked around but there was no one around him, "For a moment there, I thought I heard Marco speak-"

"Ace! Damn, where are you?!"

"That's it!" Ace diminished the flame on his hand, and clutched his head with it, "I must've gone insane." He waited for a few minutes, and all that he heard was silence, unless you count the distant shouts of the shinigamis hunting him down. He wondered how long it would take for them to find him. Apparently, the more things he had left still burning, the less time it took for them to find him. He shrugged it off, deciding that perhaps it was because they were trying to put out the fire. He wouldn't want the whole town to be caught on fire either. They may hunt him down, but that doesn't mean he'll burn their home. His mother would have a fit if he caused any more trouble than he had. So far, he had only acted in self-defence!

But then again, running away from the so-called-hospital probably wasn't a good idea…

Ace flexed his fingers, and decided to resume his cooking, no food-poisoning for him! At least, that's what Dandan told him ages ago- it felt like centuries now. He lit his hand in flames.

So tired…

"-ce! Ace! Can you hear me?! Shit! I think I've lost him!"

"Ma-Marco?!"

"Ace? Ace! Is that you?"

He calculated his situation; right now he was hunted down by shinigamis, cooking fish as food with his hand as the fire, and now he had a voice like Marco going through his head. It's a bit hard to digest, to be honest. Never thought he'd say this after all that time laying in the bed back at the hospital with Hanatarō, but he needed some sleep.

"God damn it Ace! You're not going insane! If you are, then I might as well be!"

"I would if there are any _explanations_ that you can offer me Marco?"

"I wish I had-…-asking for your hat-..."

"Marco? I can't hear you clearly. If that's actually you…"

"I don't know either A-…-hat is inflammable-…-an't give it to you if it can't be burnt. It-"

"Marco?! This is really freaky!"

"I agree-…-but I-…-Have to go now-…-Can't hear you very well either. So-…-Later o-"

By then, Ace had cancelled out his flame. But at the same time, Marco's voice was lost. There was no other sound than nature, and the shouts of more shinigamis at distant range.

"Marco?"

_-Open your eyes!-_

"He broke through Yamamoto-genryūsai's barrier?!" Nanao grasped her notebook in disbelief; she looked at her captain straight in the eye. There were no lies. The 4th division headquarters, where Portgas D. Ace was set up with a high level barrier made by Yamamoto-genryūsai himself. It was too impossible for her to believe, he had escaped unscathed. Heck, he wasn't even supposedly able to go through said barrier! But he did, and he took out the shinigamis standing guard as well.

This won't bode well. It's quite an emergency that this man was running havoc across Soul Society. And yet, here her captain was! Sitting out at his porch doing absolutely nothing! Why weren't they all sent out to fight and capture this man? The only ones getting command to go after him were the new recruits or a bunch of the older ones.

"Then what are we waiting here for?! We should go after him! This is an emergency a-"

"Ah… but that's where you're wrong Nanao-chan~"

_SMACK!_

"Don't call me by that!"

"Ah, sorry…" He laughed, swinging his cup of sake around.

"Anyway, what do you mean Captain Kyōraku?"

"Yama-jii has something in mind for this kid. Why do you think none of the captains have gone after him so far? Even though we have nothing to do, neither one of us are making a move on him."

"That…"

"This is the direct orders of Yamamoto-genryūsai Nanao-chan, so listen well~"

He coughed slightly for the dramatic effect, grinning at his lieutenant's twitching form. He waved his finger at her, "Impatient aren't we Nanao-chan?"

"Just. Hurry. Up!" She gritted her teeth as her hands clung tighter to her notepad.

"You're no fun Nanao-chan!"

"Captain! Can we try being more serious here?!"

_-Forget this, please just forget this-_

Ace was eating his food, deep in thought. He didn't hear anything from Marco after those long minutes he spent waiting as he cooked his fish. He frowned. Marco's voice was first heard when he was battling Shuhei the shinigami at their early rounds. That time, he could only remember fighting, and he fought like he used to. He used his flames and moved around dodging attacks- nothing too unusual, in his opinion. Then, he heard him while he was cooking his meal. He had his fish stuck through a stick and was using his flames as the heat source, the sticks around him and on the branches were to soggy to use. Someone must've watered them, or probably it had previously rained. He couldn't imagine anyone watering a tree.

The only similar thing between those two scenes was that he had been using his logia powers. Then again, he remembered Marco saying something that he had 'lost' him. Ace assumed that it meant Marco had lost contact with him. That happened after he heard Marco's voice and in his surprise, stopped cooking his food to clutch his head.

He stopped using his logia powers.

Maybe that's what happened.

Marco was a _phoenix devil fruit user, _phoenix were always associated with deaths right? And both him and Marco did have the basic flames, even though Marco's flame couldn't damage anyone even if he wanted to. His fla-

_Growwl-owl~_

The smell of cooked food reached his nostrils, and Ace was reminded of his hunger. He took a bite.

_Munch, munch, munch..._

He'll think after he finished eating.

_Munch, munch, munch…_

"HHHHeeeeeeeyyyy!"

"Gyah!"

Heavens! Can't a guy eat in peace?!

Something rammed straight into him, knocking the breath right out his lungs and sent him (_And the mystery attacker_) flat on the ground with a _thump! _

_Almost like Luffy, I can never get used to his out of the blue hug attack when we're teens and th-_

_**Ouch**_

Ace grunted as the pain started to register itself in his brain, he groaned and mentally thanked whoever took care of the garden- the grass was wonderfully soft. The cause of his fall to be exact, was the thing _on _his stomach, that looked too much like a child. Seriously, coming out of nowhere like that! It was quickly becoming a regular occurrence; black robed people coming out of nowhere regardless of the time and their size.

"You can't eat those!"

And back to the situation at hand- tiny hands started hitting his chest and the figure on his starting rutting around, waving their hands and legs and generally smacking him.

His eyes met the red face of a pink haired shinigami, puffing her face in frustration.

"They belong to Shun-Shun!"

"Who the hell's Shun-Shun?! More importantly, who the heck are _you_?!"

"Shut up! You're stealing Shun-Shun's fishes!"

She slammed her hands to his chest, and glowed pink- Ace stiffened. He couldn't move. Damn brat was doing like those guys, repressing him with reiatsu. It was the first time the aforementioned reiatsu was actually visible to his eyes. They glowed at him in bright pink, forming a threatening face of a cat.

_Bother_

-_Forever and ever is a very long time, Pooh_-

"Where's lieutenant Yachiru?!"

"I don't know! You were supposed to guard her!"

"Hell she doesn't need any guarding to do! She'll bite any trouble that dares to come near her!"

"Captain is not going to be happy if he knows she's run off again…"

"Neither will our 3rd and 5th seat shinigamis…"

"Hurry up and find her damn it!"

-_People only calls out to what they know after all; it's called assuming_-

"**Higan!**"

Bullets of fire shot itself from his fingers, and Ace shot on. Somehow, the little pink headed twerp managed to dodge them all, appearing here there and narrowly missing some. Yachiru grinned through it all, dancing around in a haze of pink. She raised her still sheathed blade, using it as a bat and swung it around then advanced forward. He ducked and quickly stepped back, minding his flames. Dang this brat is _fast! _It was like she was teleporting herself here and there. Ace thank his flames for able to pass through objects with ease. Though he had to admit, it's getting harder with all that reiatsu of hers floating around, his body felt heavy.

And it's glowing pink.

Not that he had anything against it- nope! Absolutely not! His mom's hair was pink for the final time! But then again, it was a sort of comforting peachy colour. Not this eerily pink colour that's for sure. But then again, at closer look it kinda looks a-

"Hyaa!"

Ah, distracted again. He really needs to stop thinking so hard to the point of blabbering.

Ow!

Yachiru swung her blade skilfully landing blows around his body. Seems she was aiming for his bruised spots.

Smart brat.

He groaned, and lit his body on fire. He reached out to her, and she backed off. Good kid knows what will burn her. He grinned and retraced his burning arm, and slammed it down to the ground. It erupted with eagerly licking flames, and managed to snag a bit of her clothing on fire.

She may be a kid, but she's a powerful one, and backing down is just plain rude.

And that hilt of her blade hurt!

Yachiru growled and launched herself at him. Ace prepared himself for a block, but then she disappeared! In a switch of an air, she was gone. Ace looked around himself quickly, recognizing it to be the moves that the move that most shinigamis he fought, had. It was either they teleported, or they moved to fast to be seen. And with that weird way they could stand up in the air as if they were on the ground. Ace won't cross out the teleportation part and he took back the weirdness he finds in how they can walk on air, who was he to talk about weird and unusual when he's seen the Grand Line with his old man back home?

She appeared from behind him, foot colliding with his back.

"Gaah!"

He growled in response, and lit his back on fire.

Yachiru gave out a cry and _shunpo -ed _away from him. She rushed to the pond, and cooled herself off. She then eyed her burnt foot in disdain. Ace could only shake his head at this.

"Meanie! I'll make you pay for this!"

"Heeh… really? Then, come on. Get up and fight."

His memories taking him back to Luffy who never gave up and would fight at him randomly during their childhood days. Ace would proudly boast that he had not lost a single fight against his little brother. Not that he would, and that was in the past. He had _lost_- lost to his pride and that's what brought him here now. But then again, he did make sure he saved Luffy.

* * *

"_What's a pirate like you doing here?"_

"_I'm looking. For my lil' bro."_

"_Ace! What are you doing here?"_

"_I was looking for someone, heard he's in East Blue. So I thought I dropped by to check on you. Didn't you get my message in Drum Island?"_

"_Ng? What message?"_

"_Never mind."_

* * *

"_With a clumsy brother like him, I'm always worried about him you know?"_

"_ACE!"_

* * *

No regrets. Ace gave a wistful smile, and sighed.

Yachiru had noticed his silence, and stopped her line of complaints. She had seen that face before.

And she didn't like it.

"Fish-stealer!"

"Huh? Oh… You're still onto to that?" Ace smiled sheepishly, "Ah, sorry…"

"Don't talk as if you feel no regret!" She puffed up her face, "I sho-"

_Growl~_

"Heeh…" Ace scratched his head, and felt around his stomach. It wasn't his stomach's growl.

_Growl~_

Definitely not his stomach all right, Ace concluded. He stared at his little opponent, who was clutching her stomach with a reddening face, "Ughm…" Ah mystery solved. It was the brat's stomach growling. He couldn't help it; he slapped his hand over his mouth.

"Pfft…"

_Twitch_

"Don't laugh damn it!" Yachiru glowered and attacked him, head-butting him in the abdomen with enough force for Ace's run his breath. He was thrown back, landing with a _thud_! She moved forward before Ace had time to recover from his fall. Ace however, from instinct raised his hands up to shield himself for the least possible a-

_Ngaw!_

"Ow! You don't have to bite me even if you're that hungry!"

"Shuddup meanie! Ken-chan will be mad at you I swear!"

"Who the heck is Ken-chan?! Ouch! Stop biting me! Let go!"

"Nmeemvemer!"

_Growl~Owl~_

He couldn't help it, he laughed.

* * *

"_Ace! I'm hungry!"_

"_Yeah, yeah. You always are!"_

"_Shut up you brats! If you weren't such good hunters I would've kicked you outta here already!"_

"_Dandan won't do that. Even I know that."_

"_Nah, she won't. Jiji won't let her do that."_

"_I know damn it!"_

"_Hurry up Dandan! I'm hungry! Ace! Sabo! Tell her to hurry up!"_

"_God damn it!"_

"_Heh… don't think it's going to make it go any faster Lu."_

* * *

Ace smirked, "Hey, want some food? You're hungry, right?"

"Ngh?"

-_And to seal off those horrible times, we remain obliviously silent_-

"HOT!" Yachiru stuck out her tongue out, "It's ho-ho-hot!"

Ace laughed, "I told you to blow it first didn't I?"

"But I did!"

"Then you didn't give it enough wind."

The two of them were sitting in the garden that- miraculously didn't turn into ruins when the both of them were fighting. The worse of the damage was only the burnt spots on the grass and the trees' branches. To cut things short, Yachiru had (reluctantly) agreed to take a 'small, tiny bite'. It turns out she managed to finish a whole fish, and soon after yet another argument, the two agreed to catch another fish.

Which turned into two or so.

And now here they were sitting on the ground, having a make-do barbecue. "Hey, you're being hunted down you know…" She mumbled. Ace sighed, "Then, you're not supposed to be sitting here with me eating now aren't you?" "Nope," Yachiru shook her head, "But…" Ace looked at her expectantly. Yachiru met his gaze firmly, "I'll stay, just for a little while." Ace grinned and reached out to ruffle her hair, "Heh, till you decide to attack me again then?"

"Mhmm… And cut that out!"

They sat in silence again.

"Hey, why are you so nice?" Yachiru asked, "There's not even poison in this fish." Ace shrugged, "Am I supposed to be rude to you just because you're my enemy? I'm not that type of guy." "Most of them are supposed to be like that…" Yachiru replied, "Except Icchi when he first came here with Jiggles, Muscle and Pencil." "More nicknames I guess?" Ace grinned to which she just nodded. "Enemies are just like that, and Ken-chan keeps 'em away. So… why?" Ace swallowed his meat, "I guess it's because you remind me a lot of someone. And before you're going to ask, he's my lil' brother." "Your… little brother?" Yachiru tilted her head.

"Yeah, you say your Ken-chan keeps away enemies right? I keep enemies away from my little brother. That's how it works. Then I take care of him, till he can take care of himself."

* * *

"_You never change do you Luffy?"_

"_Ace!"_

"_I don't understand, why are you helping Straw Hat? What are your relations with him?"_

"_I've told you didn't I? I'm looking for my little brother."_

"_Then he is…"_

"_With a clumsy brother like him, an older brother gets worried, you know?"_

* * *

"I know what a big brother is!" Yachiru took the last bite of her fish, and folded her arms. "Good!" Ace grinned again and ruffled her hair. "Stop messing with my hair!" Yachiru lashed out at him with her stick.

"Ow! Stop that!"

"I'm still hungry…"

"Yeah, yeah. Just hold on, this one is almost ready." He shook the fish on his own stick. He willed his fire to burn more to speed up the roasting. They sat in silence again. "Hey, why are you running away?" Yachiru questioned him, "Gramps won't kill you or anything…" "I guess I just didn't want to stay here that much longer." Ace smiled, "Who wants to be held back in a place they don't want?"

"But, Gramps said-"

"I would rather not hear. If I must, I think it's better to hear it from him." Ace cut her off. Yachiru sulked, "Fine! Don't say I didn't warn you!" "So you're not planning to bust me out?" Ace raised his eyebrow. "Not yet anyway," Yachiru scrunched up her nose, "Revenge for Gramps making Ken-chan stay behind when I wanted him to bring me candies from the human world!" "What? There are no sweets here?" Ace chortled.

"Human Society's sweets taste much better!"

Ace laughed at her childishness. To think she was battling him just a few ages ago! The silence followed the diminishing of his voice- it didn't last long however. "Ken-chan said he wanted to fight you after you got out of the 4th division." Yachiru told him, hands fidgeting slightly at her stick. "Really?" Ace questioned her, "Your Ken-chan?" "Yup, he's really strong!" She pointed her finger at him, "So, you better be prepared!" "Yeah," Ace nodded, "Where is he now?"

"Afternoon nap."

"Ah… I see…"

Silence crept on them. However, once again, not even the crickets get to voice their sounds before said silence was once again crushed.

"Hey, why are you always smiling?" Yachiru nudged him. Ace sighed, "It's better to smile than to frown isn't it? It's more polite that way, least that's what Makino used to say. Marco said it was a bit weird, even though he wasn't any better off."

"Makino? Marco?"

"Ah, my friends- when I was alive at least."

"Now that you mention it… I don't know your name! So, I'm calling you Mr. Fire!"

"Mr. Fire? Seriously?"

"It's that or Flame-chan!"

"Mr. Fire it is then, but I would like it better if you called me Ace."

"I'm Yachiru, lieutenant of the 11th Division! Nice to meet ya Lace!"

"It's Ace!"

-_Whatever happens and at anytime, Yachiru is always Kenpachi's supporter_-

"What do you mean Yachiru's missing huh? Can't you keep watch on that twerp properly?!"

"C-Capt!"

The captain of the eleventh division was _not _a patient man, nor was he protective of his little charge. He certainly wasn't. That little brat would be able to care for herself; he mused, however, Kenpachi who had been woken up so rudely from his nap by idiots who can't even keep watch on a kid…

It _pissed _him **off.**

Yachiru's reiatsu signature never was that hard to track anyway.

-_No really, it's just you_-

"Ken-chan?"

Yachiru stood up and tilted her head. Ace noticing both the change in her behaviour and the air around him, mimicked her actions. The flame in his hand flickered; it was getting harder to maintain the fire in him. He took it as a sign of another shinigami around him, pressuring his powers with reiatsu once more.

A few moments later, the fire had completely diminished and left Ace's hand.

This was bad.

"Ken-chan!"

Ace turned around, and clicked his mouth in annoyance. Ah, curse his bad luck. At this rate, he's not going to be able to guarantee his mom that he won't cause much trouble.

"Ken-chan! Here's the guy Gramps was talking about!"

"Eh? So you're the kid that got beaten up by the old fart huh?!"

"Who are you?"

"I'm Kenpachi Zaraki, let's fight!" He bellowed, "Good, this is very good. This'll do nicely as a warm up!"

Ace's hand twitched; still, his flames did not greet him.

Ah, bad indeed.

-_What I am hiding doesn't even exist anymore_-

"Ace is _still _not back yet… it's been days…" Thatch mumbled, "I'm getting worried…" "As if you're not already worried about him in the first place," Sabo grinned, "I'm sure Ace is fine. You know how he is." Thatch sighed, "Oh I know how he is. That guy's reckless! What if he gets into some sort of trouble?" Sabo raised his eyebrow, "It's obvious he will get into trouble. Don't even hope or expect otherwise." "Really now both of you," Rouge shook her head, "I'm his mother; it's my job to worry about him, not yours. You believe him don't you? He'll be fine!"

"But it's been too long!"

"It's only been a few days Thatch; give him some more time…"

"He'll need that time," Whitebeard grunted as he seated himself across the room, "Heard he's being treated after a battle with the ol' Yamamoto."

"…"

"What?"

Her smoky eyes widened in surprise, and she speed-walked in front of him. She placed her hands on her hips and glared. It was a comical sight- she was thin compared to the large-sized man. And yet she stood at him with pride and an aura of fear that can only be generated by a mother. Her face was firm as the line of her lips.

"Roger's word."

That was the only explanation he gave, and the only one that she needed.

-_Till the stars rain down from the heavens-_

Ace grunted as he was slammed down to the ground flat on his back.

It hurt.

Gods! It _hurts_!

He raised his hands and clawed at the arm holding him down on his neck. He gasped, coughed and gagged out blood; desperate for air. Ace gripped the hand and shook it, in a vain attempt to release him from the firm hold. It didn't budge an inch. He was suffocating! The accursed reiatsu of this insane guy…

Breathe-

**The pressure!**

Air!

He **needed** to breathe!

"Eh… I thought you would be much more of a challenge than this…" Kenpachi frowned, "The ol' fart must be losing it in his age."

Ace panted, his hand still gripping the arm that was smothered against his neck. He bit his lower lips and calmed himself down. The wounds on his torso were deep, but at least none were at his back. This was good; he couldn't live with himself if there were scars on his back. Then, he felt the familiar reiatsu pressure, heavily pressuring down on him. It's a pain in ass to be honest. He growled, and focused on pushing it away. Ignore everything else- it wasn't like there was anything else he could do in that position. He kicked the thought of pain, discomfort and suffocation away out of his head, and filled it with the feeling of being free.

_Push!_

Like his flames gave him, each and every single damn time it lit him up.

_Break!_

Like his family back home, with his mother, Sabo, Thatch, and the old man along with the crew. Heck, even Roge- no, his own biological sad excuse but still there for him of a father sounds good enough now, then there's that thing he needs to ask him…

_This damn wall…_

Like laughing with Luffy; living with Dandan and the bandits, with daily visits from Makino.

_Get the hell outta my way!_

Like the sea and wind.

_Cra-Crack!_

He could feel it on his tongue.

_Breathe_

The hand went through his flaming neck.

_Burn!_

Before his own eyes, the kid who smiled when he had him down on the ground with a blade above his head turned into flames. It hungrily licked his clothes and tickled his skin. He snorted, "Took you long enough," Ace slipped away from his arms and stood a good distance away from him, dusting himself off mockingly. "Ah, sorry about that," Ace smirked, "I got a bit confused just now…" He lit his hand up, and placed it near his face. He breathed out a sigh of relief.

"_Now_, we're ready."

"Of course, **Hotarubi.**"

Balls of light came from the palm of his hand, like small fireflies. "What are these?" Kenpachi turned around at the small flying objects, he lashed out at them. They dodged, and Ace's hand quivered, as did the lights. Ace raised an eyebrow; they were never this hard to this control… it was almost like his powers were going overload and were begging to explode into a haze of fire. There was nothing holding him back now, no reiatsu pressure on him. Instead, he felt the heat and energy as if… As if it was _all _around him. Like oxygen, his fire lapped up the reiatsu in the air. He released his control on the fireflies-look-alike; they burst into flames that burned brighter- fiercer than he had anticipated it to.

"Huh," Ace stared, "That's something new…"

It was fascinating!

Suddenly, a blurred shadow amongst the flames seemed to come closer to him. A face popped out of the wall of heat, all in grins and scars. By instinct and surprise, he jumped and leaned his own body backwards- Just narrowly missing the blade swinging by a hair's length.

Kenpachi had started slashing forward repeatedly in a terrifying speed.

_Left, Right, Up, Down, Left, Forward!_

Ace flinched at the sound of the man's laughing- who lived to feel the thrill of fight.

"Stop it," Ace drawled, "You cannot cut me with me that blade, not anymore."

It was a true fact now, since the blade went through his body. Ah, he enjoyed his tangibility. The reiatsu that blocked him and his powers were now open to him. He couldn't make much sense of the situation, but with the fact that he _was _in the middle of a battle right now…

He supposed that could wait.

"**Hiken!**"

"All my time…," Kenpachi started, treating the flame launched at him like it was merely a gust of wind, "There's never a man I cannot cut." "This takes away the cake doesn't it?" Ace lazily pointed towards his beaten body. His wounds were still there: cuts, bruises, scratches, dried blood and all with its glory with sore muscles along with broken bones. Not to mention his blood. But still, it burned with his fire- Fire that he can cut through but cannot wound.

"So… you're fire… huh?" Kenpachi's hand landed on his eye-patch, "This gets tricky…"

"No kidding."

-_I'm not looking forward to writing the end of this fight_-

"**Föhn wind**?"

"It's a very high tempered wind, strong and twisted. Since we're in the New World, it turns dangerous due to its journey over mountainous islands and fire-layered seas. It weakens the body and usually kills plants. It's called the '_Death Wind' _by some locals in nearby islands."

Marco massaged his throbbing head while Vista patted his back. He stared at the small crowd involved in this impromptu discussion.

"So, you think that I'll probably be able to tal- no, _contact_ Ace again if this föhn windblows while Ace and I are using our devil fruit powers?"

"Well, you also claimed you _felt _Ace using his powers right?"

"It's the truth," Marco sighed, "As far etched as it sounds."

"But it's still hard to believe. I would rather believe the sea is burning at the same time the sky is freezing and hailing snow at us!"

"Who knows?" Marco stretched himself and scratched his head, "Maybe it's a coincidence."

**-**_There are no coincidences, only the inevitable-_

* * *

***crawls back***

**Reasons for late update: Not that it matters. I'm really, really sorry! *avoids bullets and tomatoes thrown by readers* Thank you so much for sticking with me this long! All of you who stayed and came! Gods, you have no idea how sorry and thankful I am feeling right now!**

_Shunpo _**is the ability Shinigamis have to quick-step or move very quickly to the point that it seems like they've teleported. **_Reishi: Spiritual particles, Reiatsu: Spiritual Pressure. _**Föhn wind does exactly that in **_my_ **country, it kills our crops and lowers the body's immune systems.**

**I just hate myself whenever I injure a character… so don't expect much bloodshed **_**unless **_**necessary, all right?**

**On the random note, Happy Birthday Komamura-san! Eh, it's tomorrow on the 23rd of August... Huh, and Marco has the last say in this chapter again...  
**

* * *

**Review Reply corner:**

**SilverLunaMoon: No idea where I want to bring Marco in… since I added Marco by instinct. It was to honor those who've passed, since I updated it at the time of the Chinese ghost month.**

**Pdacelover: You are a friend to me! You've been with me all the way through from chapter 1! Thank you so much for your patience! Thank you for your wishes as well, he is having fun isn't he? I'm so sorry for the late updates! I'll try to work harder!  
**


	6. Chapter 6

**Dream VI: Pop! Goes the weasel.**

**-Over and In-**

"Kenpachi-taicho is-"

"I know what that damn cocky brat is doing! Do you think I cannot see from my surroundings?!"

"I-I…"

"Insolent youngsters, I will not have them wrecking the city with their recklessness!"

"Do we need to call the _Kidō Corps_ for this?"

-_**You **__listen__** but you never **__**listen**_!-

"**Hiken!**"

Another pillar of fire surged towards Kenpachi; large in size and level. He raised his hands up to slice it down into half and watched the slice sink in to the growing blaze. So, it sucks_ reiatsu_ huh…

"Tch, this is useless…"

"I agree with you," Ace retorted back, "Your endurance is pretty tough but you can't cut me with that blade. Neither of us is going to win, this battle is useless."

"Then stop being so damn intangible! Where's the fun in that, huh? Stop being a coward and fight me!"

"Your definition of fight and mine," Ace drawled, "Are two very different things. It's in the power package, take it or leave it."

There has to be a weak point, something that he could use as an advantage. There was no way this man cannot be cut, there just isn't.

Kenpachi grinned, raised his hands slowly back to his eye patch, "You're good kid, I'll tell you that. Let's see if you can reach up the level necessary for this. Land a single stab on me and you might be on your way to a good start." "Is that a challenge?" His opponent asked as he punched off another pillar of fire towards the Kenpachi. He easily dodged it and appeared right in front of the kid by _shunpo. _He raised his hands and gutted him on the stomach. Ace coughed up blood before smirking, and then he lit himself up in flames. Fire burned his clothing and tickled his skin; huh, they were hotter than before. Good, kid's improving after all. Though nowhere near the level Kenpachi wanted him to be, but he'll admit that the brat's got potential. A surge of fire wall pushed him back from his burning foe; he patted the fire away from his clothing and ripped off whatever the remnants of his captain _haori_ that remained.

They were a hassle anyway.

"Come on kid! Amuse me!" Kenpachi bellowed, "Is this the best you can do?! This isn't even worth my time!"

Ace lifted his hands up. Stripes of fire swirled into a circle and they lengthened to form a firm lance of fire.

"**Shinka: Shiranui**."

He hurled them forward, constantly conjuring up more lances to throw. Child's play, Kenpachi thinks as he deflected them off. However, the lances grew in amount and size and soon enough, one single lance managed to scratch his shoulder, ripping off the fabric, grazing his skin just slightly; enough for a red burn but not so to draw blood. By the time he looked up, another column of fire was already speeding to his position. Kenpachi growled and _shunpo-_ed away. To his surprise, another pillar of fire had managed to sneak its way from the sky.

"**Enkai!** **Hibashira!**"

The force of it was enough to force his body down slamming to the ground. Kenpachi hoisted himself up, shook his head, and threw it back in laughter. This was nothing! The burn marks were there, but not a single drop of blood. This is ridiculous. He wasn't getting his fun and the damn kid was just floating up there like a cloud in the sky. He looked up at him, and stared at the distant markings of the wounds he had given the fire boy just before he launched his first flame against him. Something must be blocking him to use his fire stuff.

Although…

The kid did cough up blood when he gutted him before, maybe he'll only go touchable when he wants to, and not when he was unaware of stuffs. Determined to put this into the test, Kenpachi launched his attack. Using his speed to his advantage- he _shunpo_-ed back up towards the kid. He lifted up his leg and landed his blow to the side of his foe. Sure enough, Ace began flying back from the attack, once again coughing up blood. Kenpachi chuckled in victory.

_Found your weak spot kid._

He rushed up towards him again, and attempted to land another blow. To the ribs and to the jaw, he kept on his attacks. Ace appeared to have soon caught up with what he was doing, and spent no more effort in maintaining his body at an impalpable state. It didn't seem to dry him out either, this led to him assuming that the flames did feed on the _reiatsus _and_ reishis_ around them- like a _quincy_'s attacks.

Huh, interesting.

"Not bad, for a newbie. Doesn't that tire you out?"

"Not as bad as your punches!" Ace fired off more pillars of flames, which were quickly dodged by Kenpachi. He however, did not notice the small fireflies hidden inside the pillars. They detached themselves from the pillars and launched themselves at him, exploding into flames and burning him up. He caught a glimpse of something gleaming in the corner of his eye. He felt the heat focusing in a single point- his right shoulder. Ace appeared among the flames that surrounded him with an equally blazing dagger, puncturing him just lightly. The blade clearly refused to sink further than it already has, but it was a start. Another similar attack, sneaky little brat, Kenpachi noted, "Seems you like using the element of surprise. Not bad- you're learning kid."

"Thanks," Ace said as he looked at his dagger.

"Your simple dagger won't cut me that deep, punk." Kenpachi snickered, and swung his _zanpakutou_ down.

His slices were wide enough to engulf the young fire user in whole, but Ace merely slid through the remains of his fire after each blow, reforming his whole body back, but never regenerating his wounds. Kenpachi explored this thought; it seems like before his fought with his fire, he was highly vulnerable to his _zanpakutou_'s attacks. Then, he just suddenly burst into flames, like getting a power up. This led them to their current situation, a blade against fire. Neither one can really win.

What made the difference between those two scenes?

He replayed it in his head. The kid _did_ look like he was suffocating in his presence, but it wasn't new to him. He had seen others suffocate under the pressure of his _reiatsu_ so often that the Science Department made him the eye-patch to contain said _reiatsu_- it wasn't anything new…

_Reiatsu…_ huh?

The kid probably raised his level up and managed to breathe through his _reiatsu. _That would've explained how he got the power boost. He wondered how the kid will do under the pressure of his full _reiatsu_?

-_**I worry for you, you know?**_-

He's grinning again…

Ace thought as he jumped up and manoeuvred a ball of fire towards his opponent. He craved the freedom pirating gave him as much as this man does the thrill from fights, so it wasn't like he didn't understand his love for violence. It would be nice and admirable, if it weren't for the fact that the said man was trying to _kill_ him. He had been single-handedly fighting and running over and over ever since he ran out of the hospital.

It was a tiring process.

"Zaraki Kenpachi! You are to stop this nonsense at once!"

Ace saw Kenpachi being scolded down by some other_ shinigami_s_, _he roared at them to back off. They shivered and _trembled_, but did not heed the captain's words at the slightest.

_At least they're brave- admirable._

He watched from afar as they (albeit in vain) tried again to hold the larger man. Kenpachi reached up to his eyepatch, and pulled.

_**Oh.**_

A ridiculously large wave managed to force the herd back, along with it Ace, who pushed at the force driving him back once more. _Not this again_, he groaned. He pushed against it, retaliating, and attempted to keep his body on fire. It didn't work, instead the invisible wall merely pushed against him with even more strength. Much more pressure, more force squeezing him down. It was suffocating and ridiculous. Why was there always the damn wall?! He flexed, squirmed, and _pushed_ but it **wasn't working** and he was bloody suffocating- what's with this stupid damn **wall**?!

_Get Off!_

"Well, looks like you ain't tough enough to handle it, eh?"

A looming figure over him and Ace looked up to see Kenpachi standing over him with the blood-curling grin on his face. He does not reply. He pushes himself to try to _get the __**heck **__up_ and _fight_.

_Just a little bit more! He could feel the wall crackling slowly… Just a littlebitdamnmore!_

But time waits for no one- not even in battle and Kenpachi swung hisbloodyblade _**down**_.

_Damn it!_

_Splatter!  
_

Blood sprouted from his left shoulder. He groaned, his hands bleeding from his efforts to stop the offending weapon from slicing his arm completely. He pushed the blade off of him, and quickly slid beneath the man. He pushed himself up and charged with his blade. It didn't even make a single scratch.

_Shit._

"Still got some fight in ya kid? Not bad, I was afraid you'll be too weak to fight. I don't fight the weak you know?"

Ace does not fully register these words in his head, leaving them to buzz around his brain like bees. He had too much to keep up; fighting against the wall of pressure while keeping tabs on his painful wounds. He merely kept on relying on his instinct and dodged every single slice and attack made towards him. He's just thankful that the man's _zanpakutou_ didn't pull any magic card shit on him- like the Yamamoto's fire one and the fat guy's spike ball.

Eventually, the guy seemed to be tired of this game, he jumped back, only charged back once more with much more vigour and taunts. This time, Ace doesn't even want to bother, so he practically jumped the hell _out of_ that place. His mind's clouded with pain, and losing its touch due to his blood loss.

Where the bloody hell was his fire?

He landed on a nearby roof top, just barely catching up on his breath before having to jump again from another attack. He kicked the guy in the face when he landed, even though it looked like his foot was more in pain than the guy's nose. Kenpachi's neck turned his head towards him with a _crunch,_ moreover he basically grabbed Ace's leg and slammed him further off to another wall on the other side. Ace hissed at the pain at seared through his whole body. His body fell and he swore that his bones were broken, if not cracked- _again_.

His arms shook as he tried to get up but he was pushed down by what he assumed was a foot. He groaned, and coughed, and lastly, _pushed with every fibre of his being._

Finally, _finally! _He lit up and he _**burned**_.

It was like nothing he had ever felt before. The fire just raged from inside of him and he couldn't grip it tightly enough to point it or attack. It just gushed out of him without any control, like dam finally broken and letting out its load. It burned, and burned, and _burned._

He didn't- couldn't register anything in his head at this point, there's just too much pain even with his fire comforting him- where the _hell_ was Marco when you needed him? Where was the enemy anyway? Ace couldn't feel him at all. It was probably a good thing, might as well get going. Wait, where was he going again? Shit, everything was just too damn muddled up in his brain; he wonders why. Ah… right, blood loss- wonder how he managed to forget that piece of detail? His stomach churned and he knew something wasn't right. His flames, where were they? They were around him, everywhere and Ace fears they may have gone too far because they are_ everywhere._

He suddenly was forcefully dropped to the ground and snorted.

_When is this wall ever going to stop bothering me?_

In the haze of red flames, he felt his fire being cooled down. He saw ice falling from the sky, and it dimly reminded him of Rukia's blade. It formed into a dragon of sorts, and blasted his destructive fire away.

He then saw white figures. Not ghosts- he saw those with Moria and they definitely didn't make such loud noises. There were black figures too, and Ace's brain; that seemed to finally be showing some signs of intellect from his previous haze of confusion; summed it up _shinigamis_ and their captains. They were all yelling, something about stopping the fight and Kenpachi being reckless, stubborn and why is it so hard for Kenpachi to **not** seek out a fight with their guest?! Kenpachi said that he was about to stop, the brat was too insistent and was damn convincing on whether he could still fight back or not. Or something like that at least, because there's this stupid white noise that's dominating his hearing _in his head _and he could barely even see. And every single wound on his body seemed to be intent on reminding him of their presence and they **_hurt_**.

He coughed and took a deep breath- it wasn't helping. It wasn't helping and-

_-uffocating. I'm bloody suffocating! I can't-_

"Stop struggling! We're trying to help you!"

"Which part of restraining me is helping?" Ace retorted back, he gulped in another greedy breath. "Your fire you damn brat! It's engulfing the whole dam city in flames!" More unknown voices and Ace just groaned and-

"Try it!" A new voice registered itself within range- it was Yamamoto. "I'd like to see you even try to control your own fire!"

What was he talking about? It was Ace's fire- and he could damn well control those flames.

"You're going to burn the whole city down! Diminish the flames!"

Ace gritted his teeth, then with much effort; he looked around. Fire was indeed everywhere, eating and swallowing and _burning everything in its path, turning them into ashes and he was dumbfounded. _When did his flames have become this big? How had he not noticed it before?! Shit, the guy- that damn old geezer was right. He should've noticed it- they were _his_ flames after all! Now it's turned to a bloody killing machine! Screw the pain, he grabbed the reins of his fire and willed them down.

Or at least, he _tried_ to. It was getting any cooler.

"What the…"

"Look what you've done now you fool!" Yamamoto barked, "Your _fire feeds _on _reiatsus_ and _reishis!_ And with this high level concentration you can barely learn to wield it! They're running on rampage!,"

"You are the **medium!**" He continued, **"**We need to restrain your powers if we ever have any hope of protecting what's left of this fire!"

_Don't do anything reckless Ace._

Ace gripped his hands tight...

_Damn it!_

He lets it go.

**-**_**Positivity just isn't in your vocabulary is it?**_**-**

The next time he wakes up, it's no longer the hospital room. It was a closed round room with several windows that were long and thin as his _arm_, and Ace knows that this was prison. There were lots of drawings on the wooden floor and the top of the white walls, ink writings that he classifies as seal markings. Logical enough, he decides. When he raised his hands, not a single flame managed to come out of him.

He felt empty.

The window offered light and a view; however, little it may be; but that does not mean that they were a pretty sight. He hitched his breath and slowly walked towards the small opening.

The sky was blue and _black _with _smoke_ and there was fire everywhere and it was horrifyingly familiar to back to his childhood when he had to fight side by side with Dadan against Bluejam among the burning trash from the Gray Terminal, watching Luffy cry as he was taken away by the bandits to safety. It was familiar to when his crew fell down to the Whitebeard Crew. The black and red blended in his vision to create the colour of magma and there was Akainu with his fist and he was charging at Luffy and he just didn't know _whattodo_ but he had to **protect** the idiot loon he calls his brother. Luffy who was clutching him with wide eyes and tremblingbodyand-

_Drip, drop._

He didn't even know when he had started punching the walls- didn't know when his right hand had started to bleed. The silence was no longer there; instead, flashes of memories just piled up and deafened his senses. He didn't even notice that someone was ther-

"Have you had enough?!"

He didn't answer.

"Answer me you damn brat!"

"What do you want?" He stared at the old man across the room, blocking the door, "My fire is out of control, are you going to seal me up here forever then?" He was just tired, so _tired_ and he only just registered the fact his wounds had not healed and the blood was just not from his knuckles it was all hugging around him with his wounds. He slumped down in his seat, back against the wall and hand just resting around him. Like he said, he was deathly tired… "She said she gave you a necklace," Yamamoto started and Ace wonders why he couldn't just keep quiet because he was far too tired to keep up, "to keep and seal your powers away." "She did." He despite himself, answered.

"It was to protect you from those around you, to keep you from harm. I would've thought your battle with me has drained you of your powers… but it seems he was right. You feed off on the soul particles and would've regenerated just as fast."

"So it does."

"You are to go through training, where we'll train you how to control that fire inside of you."

He radiates of anger.

"Pardon me Yamamoto-san, you," He pointed at Yamamoto lazily, "do not get to just order people around like that." The man snorted back. "You saw your flames! You can't control it! You damn well need to learn how to control it instead of risking something like this repeating again! Do you want to return home to your family, only to burn them at the slightest hint of emotion sparking in you?! The seals placed on you, your resistance to _reiatsus _and _reishis_ have almost been severed completely! Keep on using your powers and your flames would just keep burning off on you!

Your power of fire feeds on these _Soul Particles_ in the air; and those that are swelling out of people like their heat; like it was all oxygen for them. And _you're_ the medium- like an opening switch. When you are in control, you can govern how much of your flames passes through you and how much contact they have with the outside world. When you lost control of it, it just coursed through you like water from a broken dam. Even though we've placed seals on you to keep your powers in check, you insist on fighting and pushing them, fragmenting them even more!"

Huh, they placed seals on on him; probably without his knowledge because Ace knows that he would've known if something like that was done to his body while he was conscious.

"They are the walls separating your fire from the _reiatsu_s! So that they won't have too much of it! And you practically broke the walls during your worthless rebelling, now it's all weakening, thus leading to your fire having more access to _reishi_s and causing havoc on their own! You don't have enough control of your own powers and at this rate, you're just a time-bomb waiting to explode, you hear me you brat! You're going through the damn training, and I'll teach you myself, even if I have to beat the lesson into you!"

"And that would be just dandy wouldn't it?" Ace chuckled, "You made me come all the way here just so you can ask me to be your student? What if I refuse?" "Do you really want to just ignore the fact you have not even the slightest control of your own powers and let it loose?! Do you want to burn down the whole capital, scaring everyone you meet?! Your recklessness will cost thousands of other lives, just because you're too damn stubborn and arrogant on not accepting training! I want to hear no complaints from you boy! You're going whether you like it or not!"

"What a wonderful way to treat your guests…" Ace drawled on, "I ce-"

_SLAM!_

Yamamoto's fury was absolute now, "You have burnt my city, and refused to gain training. You'd better learn your manners rascal. If given, you're not even worth my time! You're better off in the gallows of death, and even that is a punishment too low for you!" "Wonder why you even bother." Ace snorted. "Leave you alone? Fine, be that way impudent child, I've lost my patience with you." Yamamoto growled out, "You're not leaving this place. I won't give a damn if you even starve yourself off!"

He angrily mentions something else, something about Ace having to face him again and ask for the training himself if he truly wants it. And Ace wonders what the heck happened because one moment he was being asked and suddenly he was asked/ordered to ask the guy who asked. To top it off, this situation sounds a tad bit damn familiar to the way Ace was recruited into the Whitebeard Pirate Crew, not that he regretted becoming their second division commander or anything. At least, his ol' man was very patient with Ace, to the point it was amusingly ridiculous. He supposes he should give Yamamoto a chance, he was right in a way after all, he had no control of his powers anymore. Ah, he just pissed off the high leader of Soul Society didn't he? So much for staying out of trouble, he mentally asks for forgiveness from his mom.

_Sigh…_

Now what?

Shit, his brain hurts.

He merely slams his hand back to the wall, and sighs.

**-**_**Hey, it's gonna be okay**_**-**

Rukia is sitting on a rock.

To be honest, she still couldn't understand how she got here.

Her brother had sent her off quicker before she could finish her practice. She was working too hard, he had said; she didn't understand though. Isn't it good then? She needed to get stronger, didn't she? She was average in the Gotei, and she refused to bring shame to her family. She was practically the one who caused Ichigo to turn into a _Shinigami_. If he could become that much stronger, couldn't she too?

Still she obeyed, and plucked herself off the training grounds. But there wasn't much to do lately, she merely picked a random world and left. And somehow, it turned out to the Ace's world. She wandered around, slashing sea creatures. _Sea creatures_- not _Hollows _but _Sea Creatures_, some of them were so adorable that Rukia almost regretted that she had to cut them in half when they attempted to turn her into their chew toy. (Which is not saying that she did cut them _all_ into half, but she had a feeling that being frozen in ice was probably the same as being cut, at least the ice _might_ melt soon.) But, she admits that she may have been purposely looking around for unannounced _hollows_ to appear just so she can use them as her punching/training bag.

She then stumbled upon two graves. They were huge, and there was a black flag waving in the wind, on the edge of what seemed to be a spear stuck on one of the tombs. She stared at it, before shaking her head; the size really shouldn't shock her, with Ichigo's _Zangetsu_ and Komamura-taichou's _bankai_. She took a look at the names, 'Edward-Newgate', and 'Portgas-

Portgas D. Ace.

How many people could have the exact same name as that guy? She checked the date; it happened not long before she found him along with Ichigo. She then stared at the graves with a new light; so this must be his grave! The flag had a picture similar to the tattoo on Ace's back, so this must've been someone important to him- a captain, by the writings on the tomb. But then she frowned; she did not pick up this 'Edward-Newgate' along with Ace. Had he turned into a _hollow_? But she didn't receive any reports on _hollows_ recently here…

_Step, step…_

She turned around to the source of the sound…

And mentally took back the time when she said no one's hair looks like Renji's pineapple one. The man's hair didn't exactly look like a pineapple, more like a pile of hair just tied up and plastered awkwardly to the top of the man- but it was close enough. He had a purple jacket, blue belt and blue pants. But Rukia wasn't focused on that, she was looking at his tattoo, sprawled proudly over his chest, was just slightly similar to the tattoo Ace had, with less detail and only the outline. Who is this guy? She made no movement, and slowly sealed her _reiatsu_ away until she was sure that she will be undetectable.

He walked towards her, and for a moment, Rukia wonders if he could see her. He outstretched his hand towards her, slowly… slowly…

He stopped, before flailing it around her- as if searching for something. So, he couldn't see her... She quietly stepped back. She watched him look around his surroundings several times, and closing his eyes in focus. Rukia double-checked her _reiatsu_, just in case. He eventually opened his eyes, took a final look around and shrugged. He turned towards the two tombs and spoke,

"Yo, Ace, Old man… how're you doing?"

_So, he does know Ace!_

"How- How is it… going up there?" The man choked out painfully so; at least, that's what it looked like to Rukia, "Heaven feeling good to you? Thatch and the others are all up there right? Don't get too drunk with them Old man, you still have your heart to take care of, not that it would matter since heaven probably healed your wounds and all…" He lit his right hand up in beautiful blue flames, bright as the sky. Rukia found herself staring at them, amazed. "Can you hear me, Ace? The föhn wind isn't blowing anymore, so I suppose you can't. Your hat is inflammable, so I can't really burn it and send it to you."

_What wind?_

"You know, we're leaving soon. We're off to the New World. Luffy's doing fine, he's still alive; caused a bit of a ruckus going back to the Marine to see you all off with Boss Jinbei and Rayleigh. But, they're fine. The crews' slightly shaken, but they're strong. You raised us after all, Old man, we- damn, we'll make you proud. I'll take care of them, I swear."

Rukia wanted to back away, far, far, far away because this felt like too much of a personal space violation and she knew how much people just wanted to be left alone. She risks her exposure, slowly turned to shunpo, and-

"Don't."

_Gulp._

"Whoever you are, don't…"

Rukia did not say a word; instead, she turned around and met equally surprised male eyes. He slowly reached for her, eyes squinting in attempt to see. Ichigo's face replayed in her mind and...

What if this guy got dragged into the whole _Shinigami_ business just like Ichigo again? Oh gods, she refused! She backed away quickly, but the man spoke, "No, no! It's okay… Shit, this is just freaky business ain't it? You… You're from wherever the heck Ace is… right? If you aren't and it's just some shitty devil fruit I'm going to be really pissed."

Devil fruit?

"Gods, what the hell am I doing…" He gestured to himself and his still outstretched hand, "Could you?" Rukia nodded slightly, and wondered if she had finally gone insane as she linked the tips of her fingers to his; it was not much and both pulled away just as fast- but it _happened_.

"Who… are you?"

She could've asked him the same thing.

-**_Connect_**-

Regardless how… odd and bizarre it turned out to be, here Rukia sat. On a rock, with the ships all in view, ready to set sail.

_What am I doing here?_

It happened around three days ago, and though she did not give him her name, he gave her his. Marco- Marco the phoenix. She never did know how he got his name, why phoenix though? Does it have something to do with the way his hand just lit up with lovely blue flames? She never knew because she didn't ask. She just didn't want to talk to him. Her consciousness just kept on whispering it was because she didn't want to risk dragging him to her world like what she did to Ichigo. Even though Ichigo was now far away from _Shinigami _duties, even though the same thing could not be said for the rest of his family and friends, even though they already thanked her, hinting her that it wasn't her fault.

During her stay, he would blabber something to the tombs before turning towards her to chat/ask. He mentions that he sees her as this black blur, and jokes that she might be death. She never answers; she supposed that she should be more surprised at herself, dumbfounded since she was actually _staying _to listen to this man's chatter- as short as each one was. It was not hard to find a place to stay, with the many camps set up, and empty spaces of beds on the ships docked ashore. She didn't have to ask or listen to the man- to Marco's words to know where they are. The ships' horrible worn down condition had gave away that much.

On the final day, he had placed a letter, slipping it behind the beads decorating an orange hat. "Hey, so uh… If you don't mind… can't you take this hat to Ace? As in Portgas D. Ace?" She didn't know if such things were allowed, so she does not even nod her head. He took it as a yes anyway and started his speech towards his passed comrades. Then, he said he was leaving today and told her to come see them all off. He walked off, and Rukia followed.

She sat on a rock, watched him command each division to their stations and readying themselves for their journeys. Most people would wave goodbye to say farewell- most the ships' mates did this to both the island and other ships' crew. Marco however, stood up, and lit himself up in _stunning blue flames_ and flew around the island once, over each ship before returning to his own. He was in a form of a _phoenix_ and Rukia finally understands why his name was so.

She didn't pick up the hat or the letter when she left though.

-_**Like you're the moon-**_

She returned to Soul Society with mixed feelings, she wonders if she should've taken the hat and the letter. She decides that she might as well ponder over it with a cup of tea back home. Plans were quickly changed when she arrived to a nearly wrecked Soul Society, a quarter of it burnt and in the process of repairs. She gaped, she wasn't gone for long! All right, a week may have been slightly long but she came home early!

"What the…"

"Rukia-san!"

"Hanatarō! What happened?"

"There was this man, Portgas D. Ace!"

"What?"

Hanatarō just flinched, he fiddled his hands awkwardly and gestured her to follow him. Was it that much of a closed off matter for discussion? They were soon in an empty road and Hanatarō talked, "Sometime back, they say the Captain Commander invited a man from the Rough Seas named Portgas D. Ace to fight him right?" "Yes," Rukia answered, "he was seriously injured, wasn't he? Then, he was placed under a barrier under strict surveillance. Did he escape?" "He did," Hanatarō sighed, "And it was under my watch. I feel so horrible now…" She patted his shoulder, and Hanatarō continued his explanation, "When he escaped, the others naturally went after him, but he just brushed them all off like they were nothing! He was really tough! The Captain Commander gave orders for the captains to not engage in him though, but Za-" He gulped, and said, "Zaraki-taichou broke it and went after him. And he seemed to just suddenly lose control of him flames during that time! They spread out all over the place; thankfully, they've all died now, but the damage…"

He gestured his hand towards the repairs, "It was a lot…"

"Where is he now?" Rukia asked.

"They recently transferred him to the holding area in the 1st Division Barracks…"

"He's not going to be executed is he?"

Hanatarō shook his head, "I don't think so, there hasn't been any announcement yet, and I didn't hear anything about it so…" "He's just being imprisoned… thank god…" Rukia said, "Why wasn't he kept in the _Nest of Maggots_ or the _Central Underground Prison _if he's to be imprisoned?" "That's what I thought too," Hanatarō squeaked, "But there isn't any word on it. It's all a very hush-hush stuff." "Do… Do you think they allow visitors for Ace?" Rukia blurted out. "What?!" Hanatarō flailed his hands, "That's very risky Rukia-san! They don't even let the healers inside! He's not even given any other treatment! I don't think they'll…" "But I need to talk to him!" Rukia insisted. "Why is that, Rukia-san?" Hanatarō tilted his head. Rukia paused and scrunched up her nose, she honestly has no idea why she has to talk to him, she just… knows.

"I guess I want to talk to him as well… and heal him." Hanatarō confessed, "He was very kind though, during his stay at the 4th division. He's always so polite, I don't think he meant to cause this much panic and damage. I think he just wants to go home."

"Can I trust you to find a way to his cell?"

"Eh?!"

"I need to see him, you need to see him, and so we'll just take a visit!"

"Bu-But it's the 1st Division! We'll get in trouble! Unohana-taichou is already mad enough because I let Ace-san get away!" "But you helped Ichigo to break me out right?" Rukia said, "We have to!" "Okay, okay…" Hanatarō gave in, "I'll try to find a way inside… is it just going to be us or?" "The fewer people, the better I suppose…" Rukia mumbled, "I have to meet Byakuya-nii-sama first, will you tell me once you're ready?" He nodded, "I will, it shouldn't take too long… We'll just pass through the sewers under _Seireitei_." "All right, I'll see you later then?" Rukia waved and _shunpo _-ed away.

She returned to Kuchiki Compound for long enough to speak to her brother. She was about to ask about her report when Byakuya refused. "It was meant to be a vacation Rukia, there is no need for any reports. However, you may discuss your findings during… meals." Rukia beamed at him, thanked him and quickly made her way out. He stopped her, told her to take care and left.

Rukia just stared, smiled, and left to retrieve a certain hat. Had she known that this would happen, she would've just taken the hat along with her the first time it was offered.

-_**Meltdown**_-

Hanatarō fidgeted slightly, it was true that it didn't take long to find the quickest route to the 1st Division barracks. But, he took the time to restock his 4th Division Medical Pack. It wasn't till later that he realized he hadn't established a meeting spot with Rukia. He made his way back to the place where he talked to her previously, hoping to find her there. And that was where he waited. It took a long while to wait, and Hanatarō was afraid he'll have to comb through _Seireitei _to find her.

"I'm sorry that I took so long!" Rukia huffed, suddenly appearing beside him through _shunpo_, "I had to take this hat. We're ready to go now." "That's good, we better hurry!" He opened up a tile on the floor and jumped in through the hole that appeared. Rukia followed suit, and ended up in the sewers. Hanatarō was already ahead of her, so she followed him. "Is it Ace-san's?" Hanatarō asked out of the blue. "It was his, from his world. His comrade wanted to pass this on to him, so here it is." "Is that a letter for Ace slipped in there?" He poked at it.

"It is."

"By the way, how did you know that his comrade wanted to pass this on to Ace?" They picked up their pace and ran. "It was… just left at his grave, he said that he hopes Ace would get it so… why not?" Rukia answered, turning left and jumping over the sewers to the other side. "I suppose so… is that even allowed?" Hanatarō commented. "I don't really know… but we're already breaking the rules aren't we? Sneaking in to talk to him…"

"Eh, so we might as well huh…" Hanatarō sweat dropped.

It was _short_ so it didn't take long at all, but the roads and the ceiling were all so similar to Rukia that she wonders how Hanatarō actually knows his way around. She must've voiced it out loud, because he was already answering her. "The 4th Division isn't really a strong muscled team; we're very weak on things not related to Medical activities, so we would end up doing all the chores around here. Cleaning up the sewers is like part of our job…" "Heeh… how long did you actually spend your time down here… to know it this well…?"

He just laughed nervously, and led them upwards.

For the 1st Division, the security was surprisingly lax. There was no guard in sight, Rukia attributed it to the fact that they were all probably busy repairing the burnt areas of the city to care. What a relief! She pulled them both out of the sewer and shut the tile over it. After that, they ran. The 1st Division Barracks were built in the same structure and model as the rest of the Divisions' so it wasn't that hard to find where the cells were laid. They just hid their reiatsus to the best they can, and bolted straight towards the cells. There were actually guards standing over the doors. There was only two though, but two members of the 1st Division were enough to create a ruckus.

"Now what?" Rukia frowned, "Do you think we can sneak past them?" "I guess we'll just have to wait for them to switch guards…" Hanatarō whispered.

"How about you two just say you're with me?"

They both froze, and turned their heads around.

The amused face of Sasakibe-fukutaichou was staring at them.

-**Stop! Straighten/Crack your back! That's better no?**-

"How did you know of Ace's condition in Seireitei? More importantly, why is my boy fighting Shigekuni Yamamoto?" Rouge scolded her lover, "I want explanations!"

"You know what I am doing Rouge, haven't the hints been telling enough for you?" Roger merely smiled back at her. She snorted and raised a tiny little video camera, disguised as an eye of a statue that she plucked out.

It took her a while to find, among the dark alleys of the city, where the thugs Ace used to beat up when they're misbehaving themselves. She brought Thatch along with her, just in case of course, on the insistence of Whitebeard. He was a good man, and Rouge was proud that he was the man her son accepts as a captain and resides under, even if it's only for several years. Sabo was with her, just because he kept on insisting to come. She gave in, and let him trail after her. Ace would usually use his powers for good, or to laze around. But she had a feeling they should focus on the parts where Ace used his powers for fighting the most. She does not reply when they both asked her what they were looking for, but merely said that it was something that does not look like it belonged, and glints under the light. It's not until it's the darkest, foulest alley did she find a cracked, abandoned statue of a hawk near the trash did she spot the glint reflected off Sabo's flashlight.

A fixed hidden camera, she had no idea how it operated without connected to an outlet. She also had no idea how Roger managed to get one of these. The things her husband does- really.

Thatch helped to take it out with the least damage, it was small black and it was exactly what she was looking for. Thatch asked how she could be so sure that it was truly Roger's doings, she showed him the Jolly Roger sign on the back of the camera as her answer. Then she marched her way up to their back home, and here she is now.

"You were monitoring his powers. His powers that are supposed to be gone the moment he steps into our world." Rouge stated, "And those _Shinigamis_… those were all your doing, weren't they?" Roger smiled on, and damn it if Rouge didn't know this man she would've thought it was creepy, annoying and meant to grate on her nerves. Not that they still weren't now, but they do hold another meaning to her- a yes. "You had a hunch then? That Ace would keep his powers even after death? And even how he controls it?" "That just about sums it up," Roger chuckled, "Though I have to make sure several times his powers are what I perceive them as. I contacted Yamamoto for help; he owes me a favour after all, as much as he dislikes it so." "So you sent him to Soul Society, to presumable rough him up and smooth down those jagged parts of his powers through experience."

"The world is as much as cruel as it is wonderful Rouge, you know better than anyone about that. It will do him good."

"You could've told me, save me from the lot of worrying him."

"Now where's the fun in that?"

She chucks the camera at him; childish, but with her son gone from her watch that quickly, she allows herself the pleasure of it. No one else was there to witness it but the two of them anyway.

"He is… going to be all right… isn't he?"

"He's Ace, have a little faith in him dear."

Rouge gripped her son's sea stone necklace; now resting around her neck; tightly, and breathed out, "I should've let him take the necklace."

-_**How do you truly 'believe' in something?**_-

**Happy Birthday to Ace and Oda!**

**This ended up being much longer than what I planned, so I had to cut it down in half. The next update will probably be quicker than usual, since it's going to be shorter- as in ****the end****. Yeap, the next chapter is going to be the end of it folks! It's been a wonderful two years with all of you- thank you. You all know who you are, and know that you are loved and appreciated. Thank you.**

**Kenpachi does not fight if the opponent is too wounded to be able to fight back. The **Nest of Maggots** is a holding area that looks like caves in the Division 3 sector, but so far, it seems that all the division have their own holding cells. Any questions, comments or corrections you want to say/type, are most welcomed! PM or Review! **

**In fact, all of you- stay safe and have a Happy New Year! **

**Review reply corner:**

**Kitsune Foxfire: Thank you so much. I understand it's too much to ask a person to wait 6 months for every new chapter and I've no idea how it became the schedule for this story. Thank you so much for your support.**

**KHMugiwaraRocks15: Ah yes, something came up at July so I wasn't able to get on my computer. I'm so sorry for the late update! '''**

**Pd Acelover: I'm glad you love Marco- but to be honest, he just suddenly popped up there in my mind so I had to write it. I'm sorry to say that he probably won't have much interaction with Ace. But I'll keep that in mind okay? I asked my friends for opinions on who'll win on their battle, and they all replied Kenpachi and gave me such amazingly detailed reasons… Ichigo didn't even win against Kenpachi- it was a draw. You've been such an amazing reviewer, been here since chapter 1 and going strong. Thank you so very much! Stay safe okay?**


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